Thaw in Indo-Pak relations benefits J&K :Omar

Jammu, March 29 (Scoop News) –    Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Tuesday said that the thaw in Indo-Pak relations has direct bearing on Jammu and Kashmir.

“When relations between the two neighbours are cordial Jammu and Kashmir gets optimum benefit”, he said expressing the hope that the restoration of talks between the two countries would move forward smoothly in a conducive atmosphere.

Talking to media on the occasion of inauguration of Rs. 7.15 crore water supply scheme for Jammu city at Boria near here, the Chief Minister said that World Cup Cricket semi-final between India and Pakistan teams has attained political significance for the visit of Pak Prime Minister to watch the match.

“Let us hope it would help to the furtherance of efforts for peace and good relation between the two countries. Let us also hope that the dialogue process continues to create healthy situation for resolution of issues”, he maintained.

“At the end of the day only one team will emerge as victorious while the other as looser. However, this is not supposed to impact the ongoing dialogue process”, he told the reporters in reply to a question in this regard.

          The Chief Minister earlier inaugurated 1.8 MGD Intake water supply augmentation project constructed at Boria to provide 18 lakh gallons of drinking water per day to about 2 lakh souls in 23 colonies. These are Gurkha Nagar, Bahu Fort, Qasim Nagar, Transport Nagar, Rika, Kiryani, Narwal, Digyana, Batindi, Nowabad, Sujhwan, Shanker Nagar, Rajiv Nagar, Sanik Colony, Channi Himmat, Deeli, Channi Rama, Channi Kamala and Greater Kilash.

          Minister for PHE, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Minister for Revenue, Raman Bhalla, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Davender Singh Rana, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ERA, B. B. Vyas, Chief Engineer, PHE, Jammu, B. R. Dogra, Director Urban, ERA, O. P. Dubey and other senior officers of ERA and PHE were present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister was briefed about various technical and physical aspects of the scheme as also regarding the ambitious water supply augmentation programme under implementation in Jammu city.

The CEO, ERA informed that the J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency (JKERA) which has executed the Boria project has undertaken a comprehensive water augmentation plan at a cost of Rs. 46.5 crores of which 1.8 MGD Boria water supply augmentation project is a part.

B. B. Vyas gave resume of the water augmentation projects of construction and commissioning of 55 deep drilled tube wells with a generation capacity of 23.26 MGD and said that ERA is creating 9.85 MGD water storage through 49 overhead tanks and 16 ground level storages reservoirs besides improving distribution system by laying of 335 kms new pipelines.

Director Urban ERA, O. P. Dubey explained the details of the Boria water supply project and its benefits to a great junk of population living in two dozen colonies in the city. Dubey also informed about the methodology of construction and the mechanical aspects of the project.

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