Sopore residents protest against water scarcity
Sopore: Residents of Mahrajpora and Machipora Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district held a protest demonstration on Monday against administration and Jal shakti department Sopore for their failure to provide adequate water supply to these areas.
Scores of residents including women gathered at Iqbal market outside Jal Shakti department office in Sopore and held a protest.
The traffic movement got hampered for an hour following the protest by the residents of these areas.
The protesting residents said that they have been facing a water shortage for the last five months in their areas.
“We approached the concerned officials many times but unfortunately nothing has been done on the ground till date,” a protesting resident said.
The protestors demanded that the PHE department should take the necessary action and provide proper water supply in their areas.
“This is not the first time that we have face water shortage but in the past few years we faced tremendous hardships as our areas are worst hit due to water shortage,” said a female protestor, adding that they are being forced to drink and use contaminated water from streams, which can result in outbreak of several water borne diseases.
Following the protests, the SHO Sopore Khalid Fayaz reached the spot but the protesters continuously demanded that officials of jal shakti department should reach the spot.
In wake of this, the concerned jal shakti officials arrived there and assured angry protesters of Machipora that their water supply will be restored till evening and also assure Mahrajpora residents to improve general water supply condition in their area soon.
After the assurances from the officials, the protesters dispersed peacefully and the traffic movement was restored as well in the area.
Bilal Ahmad
