Ganderbal, Aug 16: Demanding potable drinking water supply, hundreds of people belonging to Mallapora, Giraj, Guzerbal, Bagwanpora and the adjoining areas protested against the district administration and blocked the Srinagar-Leh highway with traffic remaining suspended for several hours.
 The residents alleged the areas are without water supply from the last three years and the administration was paying no heed towards their grievances.
 “We are moving from pillar to post but to no avail and we are left with no option than to come on streets to press for our problems,” said protesters.
 The protesters alleged that after the PHE department installed fresh pipes, the areas were suffering for want of potable water.
 The residents said they have to do a lot of physical work to get drinking water from the local streams which are contaminated.
 "There is no shortage of water, just waste and bad distribution and the incompetence of the PHE workforce," said Mustaq Ahmad, a local.
 The protesters threatened to intensify their protests if the problem was not solved in week’s time.
 The protesters were pacified and the traffic on the Highway was restored when SHO Ganderbal, Gowhar Ahmed assured them that the issue will be resolved.
 DC Ganderbal Iftikhar Bhari assured the protesters that water shortage problem would be solved in days.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Aug 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 IST