PHED, which was a government department, was discontinued and the Water Authority was formed with very big objectives. Now it is the water authority that is undertaking and implementing water supply projects across the state. This organization is also responsible for implementing sewage treatment projects in urban areas. There are other responsibilities including the rural water supply scheme being rolled out by the central government. Water authority is also responsible for implementing large-scale projects like Jal Jeevan to provide clean drinking water to common households. In this way, the institution has an unbreakable relationship with people's lives.

Despite having a lot of responsibilities overhead, it is also an organization that constantly hears complaints that nothing is done right. Many blames are being heard such as not completing the projects on time, huge failure in water charge collection, and causing unnecessary hardship to the people. The other day we had reported on a strange situation going on in the Water Authority lately. The situation is that there are no senior officers to lead the implementation of the projects. Everyone knows what happens when a family has no head. The same goes for institutions like the Water Authority without an authority.

It is reported that 112 high posts including Chief Engineer are vacant in the Water Authority. Recruitment through promotion for higher positions including the Chief Engineer post has not been done since the retirement in May. Delay in promotion at higher levels affects lower levels as well. The posts of four Chief Engineers, 12 Deputy Chief Engineers, 15 Assistant Executive Engineers, and 85 Assistant Engineers are vacant. Without a responsible person at the helm, not only the day-to-day operations of the institution but also the many projects being implemented by the water authority across the state will be adversely affected. Water authority projects are notorious for mismanagement even when there are people in charge. With that, the situation can only be imagined if there are no high-ranking officials to look after everything. Engineers don't just accept a pension and retire on a random day and that is already known. Given the situation where many people have to retire together, it is necessary to find new people to fill their seats. The promotion committee should not delay in making an appropriate decision. The reason for such situations is the thought that things will run smoothly even if there is no one in charge for some time. If the Water Authority also follows the saying that the government activities will take its time, it will be the people who will have to suffer. It is better if the drinking water projects are completed a day earlier and for that engineers themself should be taking up the positions of engineers.