LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh jal shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh has directed officials to expedite drinking water projects in all remaining Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)-affected villages, instructing departments to work 24 hours a day in three shifts to ensure safe and clean tap water reaches residents at the earliest.The directions were issued during a review meeting of the Jal Jeevan Mission at the State Drinking Water and Sanitation Mission office on Monday. The minister stressed that all projects must be completed within the stipulated timeframe while maintaining high construction standards. He warned that any negligence in execution would lead to immediate action against those responsible and instructed officials to swiftly resolve water supply-related complaints from the public.Calling for greater accountability, Singh directed officials to conduct regular visits to rural areas and ensure prompt resolution of drinking water issues. He also ordered the completion of all pending works under Single Village Schemes within the prescribed deadline. Emphasizing infrastructure restoration, the minister instructed authorities to immediately repair roads damaged during pipeline-laying works, warning that complaints regarding poor-quality restoration would not be tolerated. He described his remarks as a final warning to district-level officials, saying continued lapses could result in their attachment to headquarters.The minister further asked officials to assess the impact of the Jal Jeevan Mission on rural communities by examining reductions in water-borne diseases and improvements in residents’ quality of life. He also called for greater public awareness about the importance of safe and clean drinking water.Highlighting the progress of the mission, Singh said that most projects have been completed ahead of schedule and directed authorities to organize “Jal Arpan” programmes in villages where tap water supply systems have become operational. He urged officials to increase the number of such events and educate residents about their significance. Additionally, he instructed districts to hold regular Jal Chaupals and keep elected representatives informed about the mission’s progress through the official portal and the Jal Sarathi app.Expressing dissatisfaction over delays in older projects being executed by Jal Nigam (Rural), the minister reprimanded officials and set a two-month deadline for completing all pending schemes. He reiterated that the timely completion of these projects is crucial to ensuring reliable and safe drinking water access for rural households across Uttar Pradesh.The review meeting was attended by Anurag Srivastava, additional chief secretary of the Namami Gange and rural water supply department, along with senior officials of Jal Nigam (Rural) and the State Drinking Water and Sanitation Mission.
