Pulwama residents accuse PHE of supplying contaminated water
Pulwama: The inhabitants of several villages including Zahid Bagh, Darbagh, Rakh and its adjacent areas in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have accused the Public Health Engineering (Jal Shakti) department of supplying contaminated water to them.
Locals said that in absence of filtration plant, authorities are providing them water directly from a local rivulet which is contaminated, thereby risking the lives of people.
“There is fear and apprehensions of water borne diseases including hepatitis and typhoid hitting the residents as authorities have completely failed to take cognizance of the issue,” they added.
“Children and aged people are mostly getting infected by the contaminated water and doctors have asked the people not to drink the tap water directly as it is contaminated,” Sajad Ahmad, a local resident said.
He added that despite spending crores on the scheme just four years back, the scheme has failed to cater to the residents of the area.
The department is putting the lives of people at risk by supplying the contaminated water, he said.
Another resident said that dozens of households haven’t been connected with the water supply scheme and they too are suffering.
He said that the government must provide filtration plant there and connect all residents of the area to the supply scheme.
The residents while expressing resentment over the failure of the Jal Shakti department said that despite repeated assurances, the concerned officials have failed to take stock of the issue.
They requested District Magistrate and Executive Engineer PHE Pulwama to look into the matter at an earliest and help resolve it.
Jahangeer Ganaie
