Baramulla, Mar 14: The residents of several villages in Karhama Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have accused the department of Jal Shakti of providing filthy and unfiltered drinking water to the locals here.
The residents of Karhama Tehsil including Chanpora, Batpora, Soyipora, Kharpora and Karhama said that they have been receiving contaminated tap water for last several months. They said despite raising concern over the murky water supply, the authorities show no interest in resolving the issue.
“The murky drinking water is supplied on a daily basis,” said Ashiq Hussain, a local resident. “Despite our repeated pleas, the authorities are unmoved,” added Hussain.
While lashing out at the department of Jal Shakti, the aggrieved residents said that most of the villages of Karhama tehsil are receiving drinking water from a local stream. They said the Jal Shakti department has placed water pipes inside the stream and the same water is being supplied without filtration.
“There is no filtration plant,” said Ghulam Rasool of Chanpora. “The water is being supplied directly from the stream which is highly polluted. All the filth of the area is pumped into the stream and then the same polluted water is supplied without any filtration to the locals,” added Ghulam Rasool.
While urging authorities to look into the matter, the locals said that if the issue is not resolved soon, there is a possibility of the spread of water-borne diseases. “The residents of the area are anticipating the spread of water-borne diseases. Already some of the residents were diagnosed with jaundice,” claimed Muhammad Ashraf of Batpora.
The executive Engineer Jal Shakti department Tangmarg, Afroz Ahmad said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) the water supply infrastructure will be upgraded in the area and each household will get tap water connection.
Over the issue of contaminated water being supplied to the area, as claimed by the locals here, Afroz Ahmad acknowledged that the stream water has turned a little murky after the contractors who had bagged the mining rights in the water body started digging. He said a meeting with the concerned contractors will be held “to find the solution to the issue. ”
“As of now an alternate solution will be looked into. Besides drinking water through water containers will be supplied to the area till the forthcoming project is completed under the JJM scheme” said Afroz Ahmad.