Acute potable water crisis grips Pulwama Villages
Locals protest unjust water diversion
By: Mushtaq ul Islam
Pulwama: Over 37 villages in Pulwama district are grappling with an acute drinking water shortage during the peak of winter, sparking widespread resentment among residents.
The locals, who claim rightful access to their local water resources, have expressed strong opposition to what they term as the unjustified diversion of their water supply to Budgam district.
The crisis escalated after the Budgam administration reportedly moved to divert the entire water resource shared between the two districts, a move the residents of Pulwama find illogical and inequitable.
While Pulwama residents acknowledge sharing 20-30 percent of the water resource with Budgam on humanitarian grounds, the complete takeover of their water supply has drawn sharp criticism.
Notably, peaceful protests have erupted across the affected villages, with locals demanding the restoration of their water supply and equitable resource sharing.
“We are not against sharing resources, but depriving us of our basic necessity in this harsh weather is unacceptable,” said a local protestor.
Senior BJP leader Arsheed Bhat, meanwhile, urged the administration to address the issue with accountability and fairness.
“The government must ensure equitable distribution of water resources while considering the hardships faced by the residents of Pulwama. The interference by Budgam administration is unjust and requires immediate correction,” Bhat said.
