History

Address

Water Security & Public Health Engineering Department,
Nirman Bhawan,
Government of Sikkim,
Gangtok, East Sikkim
Phone No/Telefax 202671
Pin no 737102

Introduction

Adequacy of safe water and sanitation are the two basic and essential amenities which the community needs for healthy living. With rapid growth and development, where the environmental protection are at stake, the Department of Water Security & Public Health Engineering plays a vital role in managing certain environmental issues by minimizing the hazards with the establishment of the functional sewerage treatment plants for safe disposal of effluent and the water treatment plants for providing safe water. The Department caters to the citizen in urban, semi urban and rural marketing centers in the state with the help of the dedicated officers and staffs for providing the necessary and required services to its consumers.

History:

HISTORY & DETAILS OF GANGTOK WATER SUPPLY SCHEME:

            Total Existing Carrying Capacity Of Existing Pipeline: 42 MLD

The present Water Security and PHE Department was clubbed with Building and Housing Dept and Irrigation Department, initially. Then, Water Supply Division with Sewerage as its Sub Division was under Building and Housing Department and PHE separately under the then Irrigation Dept. Later, PHE was bifurcated from Irrigation dept vide O.O No. 72/ GEN/Estb, dated 7 June 1989, and was headed by Chief Engineer cum Secretary Sh. M.K Pradhan. The last serving CE cum Secretary of PHE and Irrigation Department was Sh. N.S Lepcha. The Department started functioning independently as Water Security & Public Health Engineering Department from other works department since the year 1991. The Department started with one Circle office, three Divisions and Six Sub-Divisions which has now increased to three Circles i.e  the North- East Circle, the South- West Circle and the Sewerage Circle. Under these circles, the Department has six Divisions and eleven Sub Divisions as on date.

Allocation of Business to PUBLIC HEALTH ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT (Vide Allocation of Business Rules, 1994)

1. Drinking Water Supply System in Urban Areas: Survey, investigation, planning and design, estimation, execution and maintenance/repairs of water supply system in urban areas of Sikkim.
2. Drinking water supply system in rural marketing centres; Survey, investigation, planning and design, estimation, execution and maintenance/repairs of water supply system in the rural marketing centres of Sikkim.
3. Drinking water supply in rural contiguous to urban areas; Survey, investigation, planning and design, estimation, execution and maintenance/repairs of water supply in the rural areas shall be as notified by the government from time to time.
4. Sanitation/sewerage system in Gangtok; Survey, investigation, planning and design, estimation, execution and maintenance/repairs of water borne sewerage system in Gangtok.
5. Sanitation-Maintenance of sanitary installation in residential and non-residential buildings of Government of Sikkim.
6. Realisation of Government revenues in connection with supply of drinking water in Gangtok and sewerage system in Gangtok.
7. Public Services-Statutory Rules of the services with which the Department is concerned.

Role and Function

The Department is solely responsible for water supply connection and sewer line connection. It functions as a service provider to the general public and Govt. establishments with a very minimal fee and user charges for the delivery of safe drinking water and sewerage services. The sole objective of the Department is to provide quality drinking water and waste water management in the areas serviced by it. Improving services in water supply and sanitation are the major concerns of the Department, especially in context of increasing demand. The Department also has an actively functioning Single Window System, Grievance Cell and RTI Cell for the ease of the general public.

Objectives

• To provide a sustainable supply of required quality and quantity of drinking water.
• To mitigate the environmental challenges by waste water management and sewage treatment.
• To improve the service mechanism.
• To generate Government revenue.

Strategies to meet up the objectives

• Reducing wastages and establishing an efficient delivery system.
• Rationalization of tariff and realistic billing by installing water meters.
• Availing latest tools and techniques for sewer and water treatment.
• Sensitizing public on water conservation and sanitation through various awareness programs.
• Routine repair and maintenance of the systems and its restorations during calamities.
• Augmentation of existing water supply systems and piped sewerage system in the admissible urban areas as per the Government priority.