Patna (ABN) Public Health Engineering Minister Sanjay Kumar Singh said that unnecessary delays in addressing water supply complaints will no longer be tolerated. The Minister took a comprehensive review of the water supply schemes operating in 14 Public Health Divisions under the Patna region. The review meeting focused on the progress of the schemes, disposal of complaints, payment of electricity bills, and pending work, and the Minister issued several directives to the concerned officials.

Public Health Engineering Department Secretary Pankaj Kumar Pal, Special Secretary Sanjiv Kumar, Chief Engineer-cum-Special Secretary Nitya Nand Prasad, and several concerned regional officers were present at the review meeting. After the review meeting, in a press conference, the Minister said that about 95 percent of the complaints filed with the Central Grievances Redressal Cell (CGRC) under the Patna region have been resolved. The remaining five percent are mainly related to major repairs, which have been directed to be completed immediately.

The PHED Minister said that the department has tightened its inspection system. Now, officers at the Superintending Engineer and Chief Engineer level will regularly conduct surprise inspections of subordinate staff without prior notice. The Chief Engineer will review the work of Executive Engineers and Superintending Engineers on site. Moreover, the Superintending Engineer will monitor the work of Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers under his command. He said that legal action will be taken against concerned officers for being absent or negligent during inspections.

Regarding electricity payments under the "Har Ghar Nal Ka Paani" scheme, the Minister clarified that the salaries of officials who fail to ensure payment of electricity bills within a month will be withheld. Moreover, contractors who are negligent in paying electricity bills will be blacklisted immediately. He also said that contractors who fail to pay their electricity bills on time will not be allowed to participate in future departmental tenders. The department's goal is to ensure that water supply is not disrupted due to negligence in electricity payments at any level.

Singh said that teams will now be sent from headquarters to verify on-the-spot resolved complaints related to water supply to ensure that the issue has actually been resolved. He said that concerned officials have been directed to complete pending work in Nawada, Bihar Sharif, and Sasaram within a month and in Sherghati, Ara, and Jehanabad within 15 days. Action will be taken against concerned officers if the work is not completed within the stipulated time. He also said that the progress of the instructions given in the meeting will be reviewed again in a week.