The ambitious Chotagovindpur drinking water project has received a major setback with Jharkhand Urja Vikas Nigam (JUVNL) failing to provide a dedicated power feeder.

The state drinking water and sanitation department, which has set up the project at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore, had paid power utility Rs 2.73 crore for uninterrupted supply to the filtration plant at Hudco.

The JUVNL was supposed to provide a 33KVA line from its Golmuri substation through a dedicated power feeder. But, it tapped power from a mixed feeder instead, leading to frequent tripping at the water filtration plant.

Executive engineer, drinking water and sanitation, Shishir Kumar Soren said based on an agreement with JUVNL, the full amount for the dedicated feeder was paid. “Only recently we came to know that JUVNL has provided connection from a mixed feeder, which also supplies power to residential areas and industrial units,” he said.

Soren added that they were carrying out trial run of water supply under the Chotagovindpur project that is aimed at benefiting over 1.2 lakh households in the eastern fringes of the steel city, including Govindpur and Parsudih. “And,

this is when you urgently need uninterrupted supply of power, which we are not receiving.”

Superintending engineer of JUVNL’s Jamshedpur circle Sudhanshu Kumar conceded that a mixed feeder was being used instead of a dedicated feeder at the project site, and elaborated why.

“The private agency, entrusted with the task of fixing power poles, managed to erect 251 of the 268 poles from Golmuri to the filtration plant near Hudco. Since the remaining 17 poles could not be installed owing to protests by local residents, the JUVNL had to tap power from a mixed feeder,” he explained.

Kumar added that they did not lodge any police complaint because the matter was resolved amicably.

Power supply through a mixed feeder is prone to tripping because of overloading, pointed out disgruntled residents.

“If the water filtration plant near Hudco is not connected with a dedicated feeder, then people living in the command area of Chotagovindpur water project are bound to suffer immensely,” said Prabir Sen, one of the beneficiaries and a resident of Parsudih.