Years on, two water supply schemes in Shopian incomplete
Locals forced to consume contaminated water
Jahangeer Ganaie
Shopian: Even after a lapse of several years, two major water supply schemes in south Kashmir’s Shopian district are still incomplete due to which locals are forced to consume contaminated water.
Locals from Manihal village said that a water supply scheme meant to provide drinking water to Manihal, Batpora and Chotipora was approved during the erstwhile BJP-PDP government but the scheme was never completed.
They said that after years of approval, work was started in the year 2019 but later it was stopped due to unknown reasons.
They said that even 30 percent of the amount of what authorities have shown hasn’t been spent on the scheme and even there are reports that some amount meant for this scheme has been diverted.
They added that in absence of potable water they are forced to consume contaminated water besides that they requested investigation agencies like ACB to investigate whether funds meant for this scheme were used somewhere else or were misappropriated by some officials.
Similarly, residents of Durpora village in Shopian district said that a mega water supply scheme was initiated in their village but the work on the project has not been started.
They said that new water supply scheme meant to provide potable water to the Durpora village was approved long back but the work hasn’t been started on it as of now.
They said that in absence of potable water, they are forced to consume contaminated water due to which water borne diseases can break out anytime affecting the locals.
Locals from both areas requested higher ups to look into the matter and complete the schemes at an earliest.
Meanwhile Executive Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department district Shopian Irfan ul Islam said that the tendering process of Durpora Water Supply scheme is going on and Manihal Scheme needs more funds for which his office has already written to the seniors in the department.
KV News
