The residents of several villages of Handwara are up in arms against the Jal Shakti Department for “failing” to provide them potable drinking water.
The locals of upper villages of Rajwar including Thokri Mohalla, Wader Payeen, Gujar Patti Wader, Sarmarg Check, Sarmarg Main, Mani Dora, Nagni Wader, Hamlapati, Shat Mohalla, Rajpora and Wadipora said that they were facing acute shortage of drinking water since past several years.
“We are facing severe hardships,” the locals said. “Despite repeated pleas, the authorities failed to provide us potable water supply.”
They said that due to non-availability of tap water, they were forced to use contaminated water from local streams.
“Many people faced health issues due to water-borne diseases,” said Khan Ayoub, a resident of Rajwar.
A woman from Rajpora said that they have to walk several kilometers everyday to fetch water from a nearby Khakshee canal.
“The water supply (Jal Shakti) department is unmoved with our sufferings,” she said.
According to locals, to overcome the water crisis in the area, work on several schemes was started but left halfway “due to reasons best known to the authorities”.
“The authorities don’t even listen to such a genuine demand. How long will this continue,” said Syed Imtiyaz of Rajpora.
Locals said that water supply was one of the basic amenities that people need to survive and keeping them without potable water for years was a grave injustice with the people of the village.
They said that the authorities should not waste any time and provide drinking water supply to the village at the earliest.
Executive Engineer PHE Division Handwara told Greater Kashmir that work was stopped due to internal audit of the water schemes.
“We hope the audit is completed soon so that we complete the remaining work,” he said.