Water scarcity triggers protest in Sopore
Sopore: Scores of inhabitants including women from Hyder colony area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday staged a protest against Jal Shakti department demanding proper and regular water supply to their area.
The protesters assembled outside Jal Shakti department Sopore and blocked the road at Iqbal market, affecting the traffic movement for an hour, witnesses said.
While shouting slogans against the local administration and officials of the Jal Shakti Department, the protesters said that they are facing water shortage since last one month and the department is forcing them to drink contaminated water from open streams and ponds.
Shameema Begum, one of the protesters said that they approached the concerned officials many times but nothing has been done in this regard.
“We are being forced to drink contaminated water, which has affected our health,” she said.
However, soon after the protest a police party reached the spot and assured protesters that they will take up the issue with the district administration and Jal Shakti department officials.
Meanwhile officials in Jal Shakti Department Sopore said that some old water supply pipes fixed in the area were damaged which affected the regular water supply in the area.
He said that the grievances of the people will be resolved soon as the department will arrange for laying of fresh pipelines so that the area gets regular and proper water supply.
