SENAPATI, Nov 10: Youth-led organization Youth Rise For Change (YR4C) has uncovered significant irregularities, corruption, and false reporting in the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and New Development Bank (NDB) financed water supply projects across Senapati District, Manipur, contradicting official claims of “100% Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC)” under the Jal Jeevan Mission’s Har Ghar Jal initiative.
During a recent ground inspection of villages including Rajaimai, Oklong Maryram, Makuilongdi, and Oklong, the YR4C team discovered glaring gaps between sanctioned funds and actual implementation. Despite crores of rupees being released by the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Senapati Division, villagers continue to rely on rubber pipes, plastic taps, and makeshift water systems, while official dashboards falsely report these projects as completed.
In Oklong Maryram Village, ₹1.24 crore was sanctioned, with ₹1.16 crore already disbursed, yet no household has received G.I. pipes or taps, and there are no functional reservoirs or distributor tanks. Villagers alleged that in October 2022, the then Executive Engineer of PHED, Lohrii Mao, provided just eight rolls of rubber pipes and instructed villagers to install them themselves — a clear breach of project norms.
Similarly, in Rajaimai Village, ₹1.53 crore was sanctioned, with ₹1.38 crore paid. While two reservoirs were constructed, only one is functional, and despite nine distributor tanks, no household has proper G.I. pipe connections. Rubber pipes and plastic taps were distributed recently, appearing to be a last-minute effort to falsely indicate project completion.
In Makuilongdi Village, ₹1.90 crore was sanctioned, with ₹1.64 crore paid. YR4C discovered that the sub-contractor received only ₹90 lakh for actual construction, while the remainder was allegedly siphoned off as margins among PHED officials and contractors. Villagers were not informed of project details or sanctioned amounts, leaving them without functional water supply.
In Oklong Village, funded by the NDB under JJM, 364 out of 418 households (87%) are shown on official dashboards as having tap connections. On the ground, however, not a single household, school, or anganwadi has access to tap water or handwashing facilities, highlighting systematic falsification of completion reports.
YR4C stated that these findings reveal a consistent pattern of misappropriation, negligence, and false certification under JJM in Senapati. Hasty “cover-up” works in some villages were reportedly carried out by the department to conceal these lapses, but the youth organization has pledged to continue demanding accountability and quality implementation as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
“The Jal Jeevan Mission is meant to provide safe and sustainable drinking water to every household, but what we witnessed is a betrayal of public trust. Families are left struggling with rubber pipes while officials and contractors declare projects completed and pocket public funds,” a YR4C spokesperson said.
YR4C has met with village authorities, youth leaders, and residents, informing them about sanctioned project amounts and discrepancies. Villagers reportedly extended their full support to YR4C, resolving to demand transparency, accountability, and immediate rectification of defective works.
The organization has called upon the Government of Manipur, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to order an independent audit and public disclosure of all funds allocated and spent under JJM and NDB-financed projects in Senapati. YR4C demanded that officials and contractors responsible for false reporting and poor implementation be held accountable and penalized as per law.
“We stand united with the people in demanding justice, transparency, and quality implementation. No more fake completion reports. No more corruption. Every household deserves real water — not rubber pipes,” YR4C declared.
