Shamshipora Mattan residents seek restoration of potable water supply
Say the locality is supplied contaminated drinking water
Anantnag: Residents of Shamshipora village in the Mattan area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district have appealed to the Jal Shakti Department and district administration to restore their previous drinking water supply, alleging that the water currently being supplied is contaminated, unsafe for consumption and reaches households with very low pressure.
The residents said that for several years the village received drinking water from the Bumbzoo Filtration Plant, which ensured a relatively clean and reliable supply. However, they claimed that the village was sometime before disconnected from the filtration plant and linked to another water supply scheme without any prior information, resulting in deterioration in both the quality and quantity of drinking water.
According to the locals, the water supplied through the new scheme appears to be sourced directly from a canal and often contains insects, suspended impurities and other visible contaminants, making it unfit for drinking and domestic use.
“We are shocked to see insects and dirt in the water that reaches our taps. This is not potable water. Many families are forced to either boil the water before use or purchase drinking water from outside, which is an additional financial burden,” a resident said.
Another local said the situation has become a serious public health concern. “The water pressure remains extremely low throughout the day, and even the limited supply we receive is dirty. Several people, particularly children and the elderly, have suffered stomach-related ailments, which we believe are linked to the poor quality of drinking water,” he said.
Residents said they fail to understand why the village was disconnected from the Bumbzoo Filtration Plant despite receiving a much better water supply earlier.
“Earlier, we used to get filtered water from the Bumbzoo Filtration Plant. The quality was satisfactory and there were no such issues. We do not know why our village was shifted to another scheme without consulting the people. We strongly demand that our old water supply connection be restored immediately,” another resident said.
The villagers said access to safe drinking water is a basic necessity and urged the authorities not to ignore their repeated pleas.
“We request the higher authorities to personally look into the matter, inspect the quality of water being supplied to our village and reconnect us with the previous filtration-based scheme. Clean drinking water is our fundamental right, and the administration should ensure that every household receives safe and adequate water,” the residents said.
The locals urged the district administration and the Jal Shakti Department to intervene without delay to prevent any further health risks and ensure an uninterrupted supply of clean and potable drinking water to the village.
