October-December 2011 Editor : Er. P.R. Sharma Year - 2nd No. 7 A high level delegation of World Bank and Deptt. of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India along with Sh. P.S. Aujla, Secretary to Govt. of Punjab, Department of Water Supply & Sanitation visited 24X7 metered Water Supply Scheme of Multi village covering village Paprala, Rasulpur & Railon Khurd of District Ropar; and single village scheme of village Singhpura of district SAS Nagar implemented under World Bank assisted PRWSS Project. Main objective of the visit was to assess the benefits of the Water Supply Schemes to the community, their satisfaction level and to understand functioning of Committees for operation of these schemes implemented under decentralized policy. Mr. Hubert Nove Josserand (Operations Adviser and Acting Country Director) alongwith Mr. Shyamal Sarkar (Task Team Leader), Mr. Srinivasa Rao Podipireddy (Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist), Ms. Giovanna Pennushi (Economic Adviser) and Ms. Preeti Kudesia (Senior Operations Officer) from World Bank and Mr. Veenu Raja Mony IAS, Joint Secretary along with Mr. Nilaya Mitesh, IAS Director (MI), from Department of Economic Affairs, Govt. of India were among the delegation. This high level team took feedback on the quality and quantity of potable water being supplied from the water works; operation & maintenance of the scheme from the GPWSC members and residents of these villages. The team also visited quite a number of houses and after their interaction with the consumers observed that the residents are fully satisfied with the working of the water supply & sanitation committees. The concerned committee members apprised the high level delegation that the water supply schemes are being operated in a transparent manner and for this, the record of accounts such as ledger, cash book, bill book, receipt book and proceedings It gives me immense pleasure to put on record that Department of Water Supply & Sanitation, Government of Punjab, under the new concept of Decentralized Service delivery is making visible progress in providing potable water to the rural population of Punjab. In recent months following new initiatives have been undertaken by the Department:- · The Department has set a target for providing 24x7 metered water supply in 100 exemplar villages already established in the State. Out of these, 85 Gram Panchayat Water and Sanitation Committees have already given their consent for installation of water meters in their villages. 11 villages have already availed this facility, thereby drastically reducing the wastage of potable water. With adoption of this system each consumer is paying tariff as per consumption, thus availing optimum financial benefits. Besides, electricity consumption has gone down which has helped in generating surplus income for the schemes. · Department has fixed a target to provide sewerage facility in 45 deserving villages in this financial year out of which work in 9 villages is in progress whereas, the World Bank has given approval to 24 more sewerage schemes. · In order to get rid of harmful chemical constituents in drinking water particularly in the Malwa belt of the State, an atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer costing Rs. 25 Lakhs has been established in the State Laboratory at Patiala. This would enable the department to analyze heavy metals like Mercury, Selenium, Chromium, Cadmium, Arsenic, Lead and Zinc etc. in the water. · At district level, each District Programme Management Cell, DWSS has been directed to make use of tele-calling service by making calls to 5 villages daily to get first hand information of the problems being encountered and to redress the water supply complaints at the earliest. Thus, every month Department reaches out to 2500 villages in the state and defects reported are promptly rectified. I am proud that during last three years, Department of Water Supply & Sanitation, made relentless efforts to ensure availability of potable drinking water to the rural population by adopting innovative techniques. As a result of it, decentralized sector wide approach proved to be most effective in the State of Punjab throughout India. P.S. Aujala (IAS) Secretary Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab. Evaluation of Water Supply Schemes by Country Director, World Bank Continue to Page 2 Editorial Board : Er. S.K. Jain, Priya Ojha, Naveet Virk
A high level delegation of World Bank and Deptt. of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India along with Sh. P.S. Aujla, Secretary to Govt. of Punjab, Department of Water Supply & Sanitation visited 24X7 metered Water Supply Scheme of Multi village covering village Paprala, Rasulpur & Railon Khurd of District Ropar; and single village scheme of village Singhpura of district SAS Nagar implemented under World Bank assisted PRWSS Project. Main objective of the visit was to assess the benefits of the Water Supply Schemes to the community, their satisfaction level and to understand functioning of
Committees for operation of these schemes implemented under decentralized policy.
Mr. Hubert Nove Josserand (Operations Adviser and Acting Country Director) alongwith Mr. Shyamal Sarkar (Task Team Leader), Mr. Srinivasa Rao Podipireddy (Senior Water and Sanitation Specialist), Ms. Giovanna Pennushi (Economic Adviser) and Ms. Preeti Kudesia (Senior Operations Officer) from World Bank and Mr. Veenu Raja Mony IAS, Joint Secretary along with Mr. Nilaya Mitesh, IAS Director (MI), from Department of Economic Affairs, Govt. of India were among the delegation. This high level team took feedback on the quality and quantity of potable water being supplied from the water works; operation & maintenance of the scheme from the GPWSC members and residents of these villages. The team also visited quite a number of houses and after their interaction with the consumers observed that the residents are fully satisfied with the working of the water supply & sanitation committees. The concerned committee members apprised the high level delegation that the water supply schemes are being operated in a transparent manner and for this, the record of accounts such as ledger, cash book, bill book, receipt book and proceedings
It gives me immense pleasure to put on record that Department of Wa t e r S u p p l y & S a n i t a t i o n , Government of Punjab, under the new concept of Decentralized Service delivery is making visible progress in providing potable water to the rural population of Punjab. In recent months following new initiatives have
been undertaken by the Department:-· The Department has set a target for providing 24x7 metered water supply in 100 exemplar villages already established in the State. Out of these, 85 Gram Panchayat Water and Sanitation Committees have already given their consent for installation of water meters in their villages. 11 villages have already availed this facility, thereby drastically reducing the wastage of potable water. With adoption of this system each consumer is paying tariff as per consumption, thus availing optimum financial benefits. Besides, electricity consumption has gone down which has helped in generating surplus income for the schemes.· Department has fixed a target to provide sewerage facility in 45 deserving villages in this financial year out of which work in 9 villages is in progress whereas, the World Bank has given approval to 24 more sewerage schemes.· In order to get rid of harmful chemical constituents in drinking water particularly in the Malwa belt of the State, an atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer costing Rs. 25 Lakhs has been established in the State Laboratory at Patiala. This would enable the department to analyze heavy metals like Mercury, Selenium, Chromium, Cadmium, Arsenic, Lead and Zinc etc. in the water.· At district level, each District Programme Management Cell, DWSS has been directed to make use of tele-calling service by making calls to 5 villages daily to get first hand information of the problems being encountered and to redress the water supply complaints at the earliest. Thus, every month Department reaches out to 2500 villages in the state and defects reported are promptly rectified.
I am proud that during last three years, Department of Water Supply & Sanitation, made relentless efforts to ensure availability of potable drinking water to the rural population by adopting innovative techniques.
As a result of it, decentralized sector wide approach proved to be most effective in the State of Punjab throughout India.
P.S. Aujala (IAS) Secretary Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab.
Evaluation of Water Supply Schemes by Country Director, World Bank
Quality of construction works is ensured by executing the works as per Punjab PWD specifications. Quality tests & checks of materials and measurements of works are carried out by the field Engineers as per provisions in the PWD Specifications and Manual of Orders.
In order to achieve highest degree of Quality in Construction works, systematic monitoring is carried out by the departmental officers as per their roles and responsibilities on various aspects of quality in following manner:1. Inspection of Rural Water Supply Schemes by Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (QM&S) Wing of the department.2. Inter divisional cross checking of the rural water supply schemes. 3. Inspection by Superintending Engineers and Executive Engineers of operations wing of the department.
The brief detail about the each of the above said modes is given below:1. Inspection of Rural Water Supply Schemes by Quality Monitoring & Surveillance (QM&S) Wing of the department.
To strengthen the construction quality assurance system/ aspect, Govt. of Punjab has created 3 Divisional Offices during reorganization (Govt. Punjab orders dated 31.8.2009 about restructuring of the department, endorsed vide No. 13/83/09-4B&R-2/5120 dated 31.8.09) of the department, wherein one Executive Engineers assisted by 3 Sub Divisional Engineers have been made in-charge of each Divisional office. A Technical Audit Format/ Performa has been approved by the Govt. for carrying out the inspections of various schemes/ projects. It covers the all the components of a water supply schemes based either on tube-well or raw water drawn from canals. The teams comprising of EEs/ SDEs searches all minutest details of scheme as per the various points depicted in the said performa during technical audit.· Shortcomings/defects noticed during the inspection by QM&S wing are conveyed to the concerned officers / officials for rectification after completion of the investigation/ inspection. Technical Audit Report format for each and every scheme inspected are prepared and submitted to Program Director, SPMC, Mohali by inspecting teams, once they are back to Head Quarter. · Program Director in turn communicates the flaws noticed by the QM&S wing to Superintending Engineers of Circle Offices concerned
Construction Quality Management System established in the Department of Water Supply& Sanitation, Punjab
register etc. maintained by the committee were shown. The team while appreciating the upkeep of plant & machinery and water works area, expressed its complete satisfaction over the working of committees for operation and maintenance of the scheme. The team also appreciated the functioning of the department for creating self confidence among the committee members and residents through capacity building and IEC activities carried out in the villages.Looking at the working of these committees, Sh. Raja Moni, Joint Secretary expressed to the extent that the water supply schemes in the cities should run at same pattern.
Anz exhibition depicting the photographs of the schemes during its development stage, capacity building and IEC activities carried out by the department and scheme related documents was put up by the Department & Water Supply & Sanitation Committees. The
delegation enjoyed Bhangra and Giddha (famous Punjab folk dances) presented by the school children. Thereafter, Senior team officer planted tree samplings at the water works to keep the environment green. The visiting delegation praised functioning and
management of GPWSCs for sustainable operation of water supply schemes of their village with the co-operation extended by the department.
under intimation to concerned Chief Engineers and seeks the action taken/ compliance report, to the defects/ shortcomings conveyed. · Reply/ compliance report as received from various circle offices are reviewed and the case for those schemes where the reply is satisfactory and defects have been removed are closed. · Remaining schemes are not closed till the satisfactory reply is not submitted by concerned circle offices. The reasons for delay in rectification within one month of date of inspection are reviewed during state level monthly review meeting. As decided in this meeting, disciplinary/ administrative actions are taken against the officials who are found guilty of gross negligence/ delinquency/ dereliction of duty.
As of now, 528 schemes (347 in FY 2010-11 + 181 upto August 2011) stand inspected by QM&S wing out of which defects in 497 schemes (321 in FY 2010-11 + 176 in FY 2011-12) were noticed. Rest 31 schemes were found satisfactory as no defect was observed. The defects noticed in RWS Schemes were conveyed to Circle/ Chief Engineer offices and the same stand attended in 304 schemes (231 of FY 2010-11 + 73 of FY 2011-12) till August 2011.2. Inter divisional cross checking of the rural water supply schemes.
The construction quality assurance system has been further strengthen whereby a new system to ensure execution of qualitative construction has been introduced from February 2011, in which all Superintending Engineers are getting minimum 5 schemes of each division, cross checked for quality parameters by deputing officers from other divisions. The defects noticed during such checking, are rectified thereafter by the office concerned. This matter is also being reviewed in the monthly meetings as one of the agenda items.
As a result of introduction of this system of checking, 123 schemes were checked in two months during the FY 2010-11 (The system was introduced in February 2011). Similarly, 531 schemes stand checked in this FY 2011-12 (upto July 2011).
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A special drive at district and block level has been initiated on since September 2011, for mitigating problems and capacity building of underperforming water supply committees for sustainable operations of water supply schemes implemented under decentralized policy. Under this programme, the District Programme Management Cell would impart intensive training, to the village committees facing difficulties in operating their schemes sustainably, on various aspects of mitigating the problems.
During the training, Committees of those villages which are operating their water supply schemes on sustainable basis would share their experiences with the participants so that these underperforming committees facing difficulties could learn from their experiences for resolving their problems and become able in operating their water supply schemes in a sustainable manner.
Committees which are facing such difficulties may contact their District Programme Management Cell to take benefit of this special drive.
quarterly basis Two days National Workshop is being organized in December 2011 by the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, Punjab to share its experience on sustainable operation of water supply schemes implemented under Sector Wide Approach with other states of the country which has taken such initiatives in their respective State.Subject experts from India and abroad, World Bank and senior officers of Govt. of India are likely to participate in this workshop.
On the first day of the workshop, the participants will share their experiences and views on 24x7 metered water supply schemes and capacity building measures adopted for achieving sustainable operation and maintenance of water supply schemes implemented under policy of decentralization.
On the second day, the participants will visit some of the water supply schemes commissioned in the State under World Bank assisted Water Supply and Sanitation Project.
Department launches Tele-calling Service for Redressal of Water Supply complaints district level. This report indicates increase in number of private water connections and the village where water supply problems &
leakages are being encountered, so as to take requisite remedial measures for their redressal. District level officers are able to
Sh. P.S. Aujla Secretary, WSS, Punjab issued directions to District Programme Management Cell of each district in July 2011, for tele-calling five villages daily for quick redressal of difficulties being faced by the village Water Supply Committees in operation of scheme. Through tele-calling service, consumers are contacted by the department itself to know their drinking water problems / complaints for quick redressal. In order to implement this service, Department has prepared telephone directory, at district level, of all Gram Panchayats in a district.
Through this process, a report on functioning of both old as well as new schemes is compiled on monthly basis at
monitor the O & M of the schemes effectively through this service.
The service was initially launched in district Ludhiana in October 2010 and around 225 villages are contacted every month on telephone. The feedback given by the consumers is computerized. After analysis, the report on problems faced in a village is forwarded electronically to the concerned Executive Engineer for their redressal. Tele calling has facilitated redressal of complaints in 25-30 villages every month in this district. This service has instilled confidence amongst the stakeholders. Today, tele-calling has proved to be most effective tool for redressal of water supply related problems.
Intensive Trainings for Underperforming Water Supply Committees
National Workshop on Sustainable Water Supply & Sanitation Services
Department launches Tele-calling Service for Redressal of Water Supply complaints
It is a matter of pride for Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, Punjab and people of the State that a photograph taken by Er. Mohd. Ishfaq, Executive Engineer of the Department and captioned as “I have quenched my thirst, what about you my Dear Friend” - it's Nirmal Jal.” has
been selected at National Level for Popular Choice Award in India Photo Context-2010, organized by Public Information Centre, New Delhi.
Announcement of awards for sustainable operation of Rural Water Supply Schemes (2010-2011)
Selection process for awarding best performing Water Supply and Sanitation committees of Role Model villages, established by the department in different districts of the State, has been completed. Department has short listed 4 villages for State Level award and 16 villages for District level awards. In order to boost the morale of best performing GPWSCs, Punjab Govt. has also doubled the award amount for State level & District level awards as under:
Sr. No. Category of Earlier award Present award Award amount amount
To create awareness among the rural communities and village water supply committees, 8 documentary films on “Best Practices”, adopted by various GPWSCs for sustainable operation of their water supply schemes implemented under the decentralization policy of Punjab Government adopted in its medium-term programme, are being prepared by the department for wider dissemination. These video films are based on success stories and effective management of the GPWSCs of Role model villages established in various districts of the state.
These films will be screened during various training programmes & workshops being conducted by the department for capacity building of the village committees and community so as to encourage village community to operate water supply schemes at village level.
Award winning photograph in the Popular Choice Award
In the series of development activities in the state, Punjab Govt. has taken another initiative to fulfill the sanitation needs of rural sector through Panchayat i Ra j institutions. In view of the demand of rural community, Department of Water Supply & Sanitation, Punjab has undertaken the work of providing sewerage system in villages under World Bank assisted Project, with active participation of Gram Panchayats & Community. Under this project, out of 12000 villages of the State, there is a target of covering 100 villages with sewerage facility. Work in 5 villages of historical importance has already been started on pilot basis. The main aim of this project is to create clean environment in the villages.
Out of these 5 villages, the work has been successfully launched in village Baba Bakala of District Amritsar, the land of Gurus and Saints. To fulfill the need and demand of this village of around 10,000 people, a sewerage scheme costing Rs. 45 million, using solid free s e w e r a g e t e c h n o l o g y, h a s b e e n commissioned in 2011. Under this solid-free technology, domestic sewage is collected in the intercepting tanks constructed by the individual household, upstream of every
connection to the sewer. The solids settle down in the intercepting/septic tank and only the liquid waste enters the sewer pipe, thus, requiring smaller dia pipes. As only liquid portion is to be transported, sewer pipes are laid at gentle slope involving less excavation for
laying of sewer pipe. It is also convenient to lay sewer pipes in narrow lanes of the village without affecting foundations of houses. This technique is economical as compared to conventional sewerage system.
Today, the first sewerage scheme of village Baba Bakala implemented under the World-Bank assisted project is running successfully. The operation and maintenance of this scheme will be carried out by the same contractor who has executed the work for 3 years. During this period, the contractor will impart training to
the villagers nominated by GPWSC so that after this mandatory operation period of 3 years, the GPWSC is able to operate the scheme at their own level.
In order to meet with the O&M expenses, GPWSC has initially fixed a monthly tariff of Rs.
60/- per household, subject to revision in future based on operational expenses.After the successful commissioning of Sewerage Scheme, the waste water from the houses connected with the sewerage system does not flow in the open drains of the village. Now the domestic waste water of the village after its treatment in Sewerage Treatment Plant constructed in 2.5 acre land, is disposed off in the nearby storm water drain. Any Village aspiring for sewerage facility in their village, for cleaner environment
has to fulfill the following main conditions: • At least 70% houses of the village should have septic tank or intercepting chambers.• Village panchayat should have sufficient land to be provided free of cost for setting up the treatment plant.• Minimum water supply coverage of 70% households by house connections.• A minimum of one year period of operation of water supply systems by GP/ GPWSC.
Sewerage Scheme Village Baba Bakala, District Amritsar
3.Inspection by Superintending Engineers and Executive Engineers of operations wing of the department.
As per various codal provisions Executive Engineers & Superintending Engineers should frequently visit the works to ensure that works are executed speedily, qualitatively & at the same time to satisfy themselves that prevailing system of management is efficient & economical.
In addition, Sub Divisional Engineer is also responsible to test check a reasonable proportion of measurements made by his subordinates and Divisional Officer is also expected to test check a reasonable quantity of work measured and checked by his subordinate.
This aspect of quality checking by SEs/ EEs is also reviewed during state level monthly review meetings. The targets for inspections by SEs/ EEs as fixed during review meeting are given hereunder:1. All SEs to visit work sites for full one day or 2 half days in a week.
Inspection notes will be sent to the concerned EE and copy of the same shall be forwarded to Head Office & Govt. for their perusal.2. All EEs to visit work sites for one & half day/ three half days in a week in addition to SEs visit. EEs to prepare inspection notes & copies to be sent to Circle Office as well as Head Office for appropriate information.
As a result of introduction of this system of checking, 818 schemes were checked by all SEs in FY 2010-11 and 301 schemes in FY 2011-12 (upto July 2011) . Similarly, 2752 schemes in FY 2010-11 & 896 schemes in this FY 2011-12 (upto July 2011) stand checked by EEs.
The above elaborated various measures of construction quality management has helped in ensuring the systematic monitoring & evaluation of the various aspects of construction at every level of the hierarchy and attaining the highest standards of quality during construction process.
