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Questions raised over quality of new machinery

By City Correspondent

GUWAHATI, June 12 - Regular supply of drinking water at Chandmari, Chandmari Colony, Kharghuli, Noonmati, Silpukhuri and the surrounding areas of the city has remained affected for the last one month due to the damaged machines of the Satpukhuri plant. However, water is being supplied with the remaining mechanism from the plant.

Concerned citizens along with former mayor of GMC Mrigen Sarania, former deputy mayor Balendra Bharali and former councillor of ward number 4 Shyamal Kumar Chakraborty have raised questions regarding the quality of the newly purchased machines after those became non-functional within a few days of being commissioned. They have demanded an inquiry into the whole matter and also sent memorandums to the GMC in this regard.

Bharali, in a conversation with The Assam Tribune, said that the water supply mechanism was installed and commissioned at the Satpukhuri plant in January this year.

�Most of the pump sets of Satpukhuri plant have remained non-functional since March due to which the residents are facing an acute water crisis. This raises a serious doubt in the minds of the public about the quality and standard of the machines supplied, installed and commissioned by the supplier,� Bharali said. �So we have appealed to the GMC to initiate an inquiry into the matter,� he added.

Around Rs 4.43 crore was sanctioned in 2018 for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of pump sets under the Panbazar, Satpukhuri, Kamakhya and deep tubewell schemes along with the boosting station under GMC water works.

A source in the GMC said that an inquiry committee has been set up and it would submit its report within June 20.

However, the GMC had already issued a circular and said that e-tendering was done to get the best quality pumps.

�The two new pumps at Satpukhuri have stopped working due to technical glitch, so water supply was interrupted. GMC water supply staff is working day and night amid the lockdown,� the GMC circular said.

Moreover, the GMC had brought an expert from Kolkata to repair the damaged machines, but he was sent into quarantine soon after he landed in Guwahati. He is likely to be released from quarantine after being subjected to some tests.

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