Shopian village faces acute shortage of potable water, allege locals
By: Mushtaq ul Islam
Shopain: Kralichak Bajimarg village in south Kashmir’s Shopian district has been reeling under acute shortage of water for the past many years, causing hardships to the locals, residents alleged Tuesday.
They said that during these harsh winter days villagers are suffering from a severe water shortage and they are fearing that it may not end soon.
The locals said that the Jal Shakti Department has been unable to ensure a regular supply of potable drinking water to the area since many years now.
They said that the locals of the area have been demanding that the water supply to the area should be ensured but so far nothing has been done.
“Despite living in the 21st century, our women folk has to walk miles to fetch water for their families. It is unclear to me why portable water isn’t provided despite all the talk of development in the area,” Rayees Ahmad, a local resident said.
“The claims of Jal Shakti Department are unreal, they claim that every house hold has access to portable drinking water but the reality of our village is something else,” the Villagers said.
“We have to pay for the vehicles fetching us drinking water from our own pocket. The access to portable water, which otherwise is our basic right, has become dearer to us,” said another local resident.
The residents also demanded that the authorities need to install deep borewells in the area so that the water woes are reduced and the people can live a dignified life.
The Jal Shakti Department also needs to augment staff in the area in order to maintain proper supply and monitoring.
Meanwhile, Congress District President Shopian Haji Mohammad Yousuf also appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to take steps to ensure that water supply is ensured to the area.
KV News
