Wopzan Anantnag residents face acute drinking water shortage, residents seek probe
Anantnag: The residents of the Eidgah locality in Wopzan village of Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district have been facing an acute shortage of drinking water for the past nearly three months, leaving around 25 households struggling to meet their daily water needs.
The affected residents said the prolonged disruption in the water supply has forced families to rely on distant sources such as springs, hand pumps, and neighbouring localities, causing serious inconvenience particularly to women, children and the elderly.
Locals alleged that despite the government’s ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide tap water connections to every rural household, their area continues to remain deprived of the basic facility.
“Nearly 25 households in the Eidgah area have been without drinking water for the last three months. We are compelled to walk long distances to fetch water for drinking and household purposes,” said a local resident. “It is extremely difficult for elderly people and women who have to manage this situation every single day.”
Residents said that while water supply pipelines have been laid and functional in several other parts of Wopzan village under the scheme, the Eidgah locality has allegedly been left out without any clear explanation.
“It is surprising that other areas of the village are receiving regular water supply under the Jal Jeevan Mission, but our locality has been ignored. We want to know why our area was excluded despite the availability of funds,” another resident said.
The villagers have urged the authorities of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department in the Bijbehara division to immediately look into the issue and ensure restoration of drinking water supply to the affected households.
They also demanded a transparent inquiry into the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in Wopzan village, alleging that the Eidgah locality was left out despite funds being sanctioned for improving rural water supply infrastructure.
“We request the district administration to conduct a proper investigation into how the funds under Jal Jeevan Mission were utilized in our village and why this locality was deprived of the facility,” they said.
The residents have appealed to the district administration to intervene and ensure that the issue is addressed at the earliest so that the affected families are provided with a reliable and regular supply of drinking water.
