Branpathri Tral residents protest over water bills, demand compensation for land
Pulwama: Residents of Branpathri village in Tral area of south Kashmir on Thursday staged a protest against the issuance of water bills, alleging that they have been unfairly charged despite relying on their own natural water sources.
The protesting locals said that the village does not receive any formal piped water supply from the government and instead depends on a nearby spring, from which they have laid their own pipes to meet daily water needs. “We are being billed for a service we are not even using. Our water comes directly from a natural spring through pipelines installed by the villagers themselves,” several protesters said.
Questioning the basis of the charges, the residents demanded immediate revocation of the water bills, terming them unjustified and arbitrary.
They further stated that if any government department claims to have developed a water supply scheme in the area, it should be clearly identified. “If the government has done anything here in terms of water supply, they should show it or take it back. We have our own natural source, and we are managing it ourselves,” they added.
Apart from the water issue, the residents also raised concerns over long-pending compensation related to a road construction project carried out under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in 2016. They alleged that several villagers whose land was used for the road are yet to receive compensation even after nearly a decade.
“Land was taken from many families for the construction of the road, but compensation has not been paid till date. We have been waiting since 2016 and no authority has addressed our grievance,” the protesters said.
The residents appealed to the concerned authorities to intervene at the earliest, revoke the “unjust” water bills, and ensure that compensation for the acquired land is released without further delay.
They warned that if their demands are not met, they would be compelled to intensify their protests in the coming days.
