JICA's safety measures and expansion efforts are on for reliable water supply in Guwahati: Project Director, JICA

Guwahati: JICA is taking utmost safety precautions to prevent incidents like the two major pipeline bursts in the future. According to Pallav Gopal Jha, Project Director of JICA and Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro), initial investigations revealed that the bursts may have been caused by weaknesses in the wielding points due to water pressure or wielding quality.

To address this, surge analysis is being conducted on the pipelines in collaboration with IIT Guwahati to identify and rectify any weaknesses.

In the meantime, water is being supplied at low pressure to minimize the risk. Manpower is also stationed on the ground during water supply to quickly address any leakages. JICA has opened helplines for reporting leakages, and their engineering and technical department is working on assessing the walls and leakage points. They are hopeful that such incidents will not be repeated.

Talking exclusively to Business North East Pallav Gopal Jha, Project Director of JICA and who is also the Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro) said that massive work has been undertaken for restoring and monitoring the water supply facility under JICA project.

Excerpts of the interview are as under:-

BNE: After the two major pipe burst, what are the safety precautions taken that in future no such incidents reoccur?
Project Director: It was extremely unfortunate what we faced. In our initial investigation we found out that there were wielding points which might have burst open because of pressure of the water maybe because of the wielding quality. Whenever there is a disruption in water supply lot of public grievance starts coming for the shortage of water from our consumers. We got to balance both the aspects that the safety provisions are also taken care at the same time water supply is also not disrupted. To state off surge analysis is being on all the pipelines. That was done in 2018 for the pipeline. At that time it had passed the test.
We have again requested IIT Guwahati to conduct the surge analysis. They are in process of data sharing with us. We hope that once we get the surge analysis we will be able to get better interventions. For now what we are doing is that we are giving water at the low pressure so that such kind of weakness if it still exists in the pipelines somewhere than incident of such a huge nature doesn’t happen.
At the same time, We are keeping our manpower on ground at the time of water supply so that if there are leakage and all, it can be quickly addressed. So, we are trying to balance both side of the water supply and also looking at the safety provisions. We have also opened our helplines so that whenever there is a leakage people can report. Our engineering and technical department working on the proper positioning and proper assessment of how the walls are working. Like what are the leakage points and whether leakages are getting addressed or not. So, we are working on many areas and we hope that this kind of incidents doesn’t get repeated.

BNE: Till now how much area has been covered by JICA water network in the Guwahati city?
Project Director: The whole project envisages to provide water to more than lakh households. It covers 121 DMAs ( District Metered Area) from where the water supplies. Right now we are providing to 18 DMAs and we are covering around 56 localities. There are lot of reservoirs which are supposed to be made.6 more reservoirs are under construction. One of the reservoirs which is in use now is the Amiyanagar reservoir. The Lichubagan Reservoir is in the verge of completion within next two months. The distribution system is also on the verge of completion. Maybe around 7000 to 10000 households may be added. At this point, we are giving it to around 10,000 households. Guwahati has a major water crisis right now because aquifers have gone down. It may due to unscientific boring, maybe due to history of the place where lots of ground water has been extracted.

JICA consumers to whom we are giving water is extremely satisfied. Sometimes there are issues but we have a very robust public grievance system on our website. Overall consumers are happy and we are also trying to increase our whole coverage. Right now also we are working at the potential of 15000 households where we can provide. But then, the numbers of applications are just around 11000 or something. We have given to around 10000 and 1000 service connections are in process and that will be done soon.

BNE: What are the charges for getting connection of water through JICA project?
Project Director: We have two kinds of installation charges. There is something called Pressure Release valve which has to be put when the pressure is very high. So that is an optional part. If you take the pressure release valve and the connection, it will cost Rs.12000 where there is security deposit of Rs.3000 which stays with us. If someone wants to take back the connection we return that money.
It is 9000 if we do not take with PRB. In the plain areas we are giving without PRB. Our installation charges varies from Rs. 9000 to Rs.12000. Our metering charges are Rs.22 per thousand litre. So meter is installed with all the connection. Based on the consumption we are billing the customers.

BNE: What is the number of manpower required to implement the project?.
Project Director: Right now we are done with partial commissioning only. The Project is still to be handed to Guwahati Jal Board yet. It is working on a hybrid kind of things where many things are under Project Management Consultant (PMC). Also a PIU (Project Implementation Unit) is in the place, In PIU there are 80 to 90 employees under us. We are trying to take over the whole project from the project management consultant. Than we can have a better operation and maintenance contract with some big agencies so that we can have a better handling of the project.

BNE: Can you just explain the workings of the JICA team? What does it take to implement such a big water project?
Project Director: I am also holding the charge of Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro District. Consumer is of prime importance. The whole meaning of the project is to give project at the household level for giving sufficient potable and clean water. At the cutting age, if the consumer is satisfied that is the parameter for the success of the project. The pipeline, the reservoir and all the infrastructure linked to the project have a legacy and we have been doing it for a very long time. We are hopeful by next year we will be able to complete it. Once we are completed than operation and maintenance at the water treatment plans, operation and maintenance at the project pipeline, operation and maintenance of the public response system everything should come in place so that project is run professionally and becomes consumer driven.

BNE: When will be entire Assam covered under JICA water project?
Project Director: Across Assam, we will not be able to give you details. Even for Guwahati caters to the residents of South Central Guwahati. By December 2024, we are targeting to complete the whole project for the JICA part. In Eastern and Western Guwahati, there are other projects which are going on. Eventually, they will be subsumed under Guwahati Jal Board once the project is complete.
JICA's water network in Guwahati city aims to provide water to over 1 lakh households, covering 121 District Metered Areas (DMAs). Currently, they are providing water to 18 DMAs and 56 localities. The project includes the construction of reservoirs, and 6 reservoirs are under construction.
The charges for getting a connection to the JICA water project vary based on whether the optional Pressure Release Valve (PRB) is included. The installation charges range from Rs. 9,000 to Rs. 12,000, and metering charges are Rs. 22 per thousand liters.

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