Residents of Achgoza village allege decades-long neglect
Say they are forced to consume contaminated water
Pulwama: The residents of Achgoza, a remote village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, have raised serious concerns over being forced to drink contaminated water for decades—despite several filtration plants being located in their area.
The villagers say that while clean and treated water is being supplied to other areas from the filtration plants set up within Achgoza, the locals themselves are ironically left to consume unfiltered and unsafe water. The situation, they say, is a glaring example of the old adage: “Andhera tale diya”—darkness beneath the lamp.
“We have been suffering for years. All the water filtration plants are in our vicinity, yet we are the ones drinking water from polluted sources like streams and open wells,” said Ghulam Nabi, a local resident. “Our repeated pleas to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears.”
Another local, Farooq Ahmad, said, “We feel betrayed. It’s painful to see supplying clean water to other areas while our own children are falling sick due to waterborne diseases.”
Residents allege that despite the presence of infrastructure, they have been ignored in terms of basic water supply services. “We aren’t asking for luxury—just clean water to drink,” said Shakeela Bano, a mother of four. “Our elders suffered, and now our children are going through the same ordeal.”
The villagers have demanded immediate government intervention and accountability from the concerned departments.
They have urged the administration to either ensure piped access to the already filtered water or install a dedicated facility exclusively for Achgoza.
The residents said if their demands are not met, they will be forced to protest and block the supply of water to other regions until justice is delivered.
