Imphal: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Manipur High Court in Imphal on Wednesday, highlighting serious allegations of mismanagement, corruption, non-execution of works, and falsification of official records in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and the New Development Bank (NDB)-financed rural water supply projects in Senapati district.
The PIL, filed by RK Paul, a social worker and resident of Oklong Maryram village under Senapati district, sought urgent judicial intervention to safeguard the constitutional rights of rural and tribal communities who continue to remain without basic drinking water facilities despite official claims of “near 100% coverage”.
In the PIL, the petitioner alleged that despite the sanction and release of crores of public funds to the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), substantial portions of the sanctioned projects were not visible on the ground. To substantiate these claims, the petitioner relied on multiple sources of evidence, including RTI replies and official dashboard data, community inspections and village testimonies, media reports and public meetings, photographic and video documentation.
According to the PIL, several villages such as Oklong Maryram, Rajamai, Makuilongdi, and Oklong (under the NDB Project), display significant discrepancies between official reports and actual on-ground implementation. These include, the absence of GI pipelines and household tap connections, non-functional or unused reservoirs and distribution tanks, supply of inferior materials like rubber pipes and plastic taps in place of mandated infrastructure, falsification of dashboard entries claiming “100% household tap coverage”, and reports indicating financial discrepancies and allegations of fund diversion within the project.
The petition asserted that these acts amount to grave administrative failure, breach of public trust, and prima facie criminal misconduct, directly violating the fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
In the PIL, the petitioner requested the High Court to direct an independent investigation, either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT), into the implementation of JJM and NDB-funded projects in Senapati district.
The petitioner sought a comprehensive forensic and financial audit of the project by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) or other competent central agency.
The petitioner also called for public disclosure of all project-related documents, including Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), utilisation certificates, measurement books, contractor bills and beneficiary lists.
The PIL urged accountability measures, including disciplinary and criminal action against officials or contractors responsible for misappropriation or falsification of records.
The petitioner demanded that all unexecuted or defective JJM works be completed or rectified within a specified time frame, under the supervision of an independent expert committee.
The PIL also sought the appointment of a Local Commissioner or Monitoring Committee to conduct periodic field verifications and submit reports to the Court.
Further, the PIL asserted that the alleged discrepancies have inflicted irreparable harm to rural and tribal households, particularly in remote hill villages that lack alternative sources of safe drinking water. The petitioner contended that:
• The right to safe and adequate drinking water is a fundamental part of the right to life under Article 21.
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• Official claims of “completed” projects, despite non-existent infrastructure, constitute arbitrary and discriminatory governance, violating Article 14.
• Misuse of public funds and suppression of records undermine constitutional mandates of transparency and accountability under Articles 38, 39(b), 41 and 47.
The PIL has been registered and is expected to be listed before the Division Bench of the High Court of Manipur. Given the scale of allegations and the potential implications for public health, fiscal responsibility, and governance in the State, the matter is likely to receive significant judicial and public attention.
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