GUWAHATI, March 20 - A citizens� charter prepared by the State Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) is awaiting finalisation for over four years now. The charter drafted by the PHED aims at providing �safe drinking water and improved sanitation for all, at all times, in rural habitations of Assam�, through an effective partnership between the PHED and the consumers. It was sent to the State government for its approval in 2013-14.
The draft of the charter stated that the PHED�s mission would be to ensure all rural households access to and using �safe and suitable drinking water and improved sanitation facilities� by providing support to districts in their endeavour to provide these basic facilities and services.
It laid emphasis on an effective partnership between the PHED and consumers, to ensure delivery of safe drinking water and create an efficient sanitation system that �protects both community health and the environment.� The citizens� charter also seeks to develop an understanding of how this partnership can work to provide better service delivery without any incremental increase in cost.
It lays down the service delivery principles of the PHED and seeks to make the PHED performances open to regular public review and reporting, besides using resources judiciously and meticulously, and providing scope for improvement of the services offered. It also states that the PHED would operate treatment plants with the goals to supply drinking water conforming to national standards.
On the quantity standards of PHED water supply schemes, it states that �now onwards the service level will be enhanced up to 55 litres of water per capita per day� with adequate pressure head. It further states wherever adequate pressure head is not available, the PHED will encourage the consumers to make arrangements for static tank with domestic pumping.
Moreover, it says, �During lean period, we guarantee water supply to suffice consumer needs every day, in the morning (7 am to 9 am) and in the evening (4 pm to 6 pm).�
