Bihar lags in hand pump installation: state PHED minister

The state Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) minister Mahachandra Prasad Singh today accepted in the Bihar Legislative Council that the state lags behind in installation of water hand pumps.
"Only 6,000 hand pumps out of the total 55,000 planned during 2012-13 have been installed. I have directed the officials of my department to ensure that all of them are installed by July-end," said Singh.
The PHED minister was replying to a Call Attention notice by council members Valmiki Singh and Satyendra Narayan Singh that in a majority of cases the PHED officials were not installing the hand pumps recommended by MLCs, who were allowed to recommend 100 hand pumps each for the people.

Both Valmiki and Satyendra said the officials and contractors do not listen to the request of the legislators due to which people face much hardship during the summer.
They also alleged that the contractors, in nexus with officials, indulge in illegal withdrawal of money meant for the pumps and suggested that the bills should be paid only when legislators give a certificate of installation.
Saying that he would look into the matter, Mahachandra sought 90 days time to start installation work of hand pumps proposed during the 2013-14 financial year.