Several villages in south Kashmir decry shortage of potable water
Pulwama: Residents of various villages in south Kashmir are facing acute shortage of drinking water from the past more than a month, locals alleged.
According to locals, every year the water scarcity turns acute during the summer months.
Residents from Akura Mattan in Anantnag district, Hari Parigam in Awantipora area and Zahidbagh village in Pulwama have complained of facing acute water shortage from the past one month.
They said the supply lines were running dry for the past one month.
“We have to fetch water for drinking, cooking and other purposes from the nearby villages,” said a local adding that in summers when the demand for water goes up, we are made to beg for potable water supply.
“Water supply scheme was constructed 30 years before here and was catering to the whole village, however, from past few years, water supply scheme fails to cater to the increased populace especially in summers,” said Farooq Ahmad, a resident of Akura Mattan.
“We have repeatedly requested the officials to resolve the problem but there has been no response from their side,” he said.
When contacted, a Junior Engineer in the Jal Shakti Department, Javaid Ahmad said that they are working to connect some villages with other water supply scheme till some permanent arrangements are made.
Meanwhile, the residents of Hari Parigam village said that the local water supply scheme which was catering to the village has been diverted to other areas making the locals to suffer.
The residents of Zahidbagh village also said that many mohallas of the village are without drinking water supply since the past one month.
The upper mohalla areas of the village are using drinking water for irrigation purposes due to which there is no water available to many mohallas and localities, they said.
They requested concerned higher ups to look into the matter and take action against those persons who are using drinking water for irrigation purposes.
Executive Engineer PHE Division Awantipora Riaz Ahmad said that he will look into the issues raised by the people.
