Assam: Rs 3.25 crore Jal Jeevan project fails to deliver drinking water to villagers, taps installed in paddy fields

A Rs 3.25 crore drinking water supply project in Mokamchara No. 2, part of the Ramakrishnanagar Assembly Constituency in Sribhumi, Assam has left villagers without access to potable water, even four months after inauguration.

Ironically, water taps have been installed in the middle of paddy fields, far from habitations, and not a single drop of water has flowed through them since the project was completed. Locals allege they are being forced to consume untreated water from ponds and other nearby sources.

The water plant, constructed under the central flagship scheme and inaugurated by local MLA Bijoy Malakar, was expected to provide clean drinking water to hundreds of households. Instead, it has become a symbol of public disillusionment and suspected corruption.

“There's a tap, but no water — only the contractor's pocket has been filled,” a villager remarked, echoing a sentiment that has become common in the area.

Villagers have raised serious allegations against the contractor, claiming that connections to households were made conditional on bribe payments. “I was asked for money to get a tap at my home. Since I couldn't afford it, they installed it in the middle of my rice field,” said one aggrieved resident.

Such revelations have raised questions about the integrity of the scheme's execution, the role of public contractors, and the oversight mechanisms of the concerned authorities.

Accountability Demanded
The Departmental Minister, during a previous visit to Sribhumi, had assured that citizens could lodge complaints if any project failed to deliver water post-inauguration. With mounting complaints and growing public outrage, all eyes are now on the Public Health Engineering Department to investigate the lapses and initiate corrective action.

Meanwhile, locals are demanding a high-level inquiry into the utilisation of funds and contractual accountability, asking the crucial question: If the scheme hasn’t delivered, who actually benefited from it?