By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Bihar government has once again cancelled a tender issued during the previous administration. Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Neeraj Kumar Bablu announced the cancellation, accusing the previous Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan) government of irregularities. This follows earlier cancellations of PHED tenders due to similar issues.
Minister Neeraj Kumar Bablu stated that after the formation of the NDA government, all departments have been reviewing the work done by the previous administration. So far, the PHED has cancelled tenders worth about Rs 4,000 crores following investigations. The minister revealed that many villages were deprived of the Mohalla Nal Jal Yojana under the old tenders, and the department aims to ensure no house is left out in future plans.
A new tender will be issued and completed within a month, with work starting in August. The department will revise the old tender to ensure a smooth supply of pure water to every house under the Chief Minister’s ambitious scheme, Nal Jal Yojana. The minister emphasized the need for a hi-tech department, including solar-powered systems for filling and closing water tanks and automatic taps to prevent water wastage.
The target is to install 4,000 hand pumps, with 1,500 already installed. Out of 497 available water tankers, 83 are currently supplying water to problem-ridden areas in nine districts. Additionally, 15 water ATMs have been made available as needed. The department has issued a toll-free number (1800 123 1121) and a WhatsApp number (8544 429024) for complaints, operating from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. A diary will be maintained to track and resolve complaints daily.
