While authorities say much headway has been made in implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Jammu and Kashmir, the emphasis must be equally on providing safe and adequate drinking water both in rural and urban areas.
Reports keep on pouring from different areas from time to time regarding drinking water scarcity. It should not happen that taps are there but the water is not adequately supplied.
Then there are also reports of supply of unsafe drinking water leading to water borne diseases among those consuming it. To prevent such diseases it is important that safe water is supplied.
For that the equipment being used at the already functional water supply schemes particularly at filtration plants must be properly working.
There are reports that at some places the equipment is not working properly or is defective. If the reports are correct then immediate attention should be paid towards it.
The damaged equipment or machinery must be repaired or replaced. Polluting the sources of water or throwing garbage near the filtration plants by some local residents is also a problem.
Such acts must be immediately stopped and discouraged. Action must be taken against those doing so. The sources of water and filtration plants must be kept clean and safe. Otherwise the water is polluted and would be unsafe for drinking, leading to diseases among the residents in such areas.
The authorities must also complete the pending schemes under JJM so that all households get tap water within their premises. Providing 100 percent Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) under JJM in rural areas is a good step. People both in rural and urban areas must have access to the tap water within the premises of their households.
There are still areas, where people have to cover long distance to fetch water. Their problem will get solved once they get tap water within their household premises. According to officials as of date J&K has achieved more than 75 percent coverage of tap water connections.
They say that providing access to safe and adequate drinking water supply facility through tap connections within the premises of rural households is the objective of JJM.
The officials added that the centre has approved new 102 water supply schemes worth Rs 476.71 crore for coverage of an additional 54,752 rural households for which the provision for FHTCs was not planned at the start of the mission. It is being hoped that all the people will get safe and adequate drinking water through taps at their households.
There should not be scarcity of drinking water.