Ashiq Hussain
Kulgam Nov 12 (KNS): Eleven years since it developed a snag just weeks after it was commissioned, Berigam Devsar water filtration plant in Kulgam had lied defunct for want of repairs and the residents of Berigam and adjoining villages of Devsar Kulgam district are facing acute shortage of drinking water and are impelled to consume non potable water from Nallah Vishuoo.
"The water supply scheme and filtration plant constructed by the Government in year 2011 is lying defunct and whole area is forced to drink polluted water directly coming from nallah Vishuo and also women folk of the area have to fetch drinking water from springs and Nallah Boshee for which they have to travel several kilometres in this severe cold winter season," the residents said
Blaming the authorities for neglecting Berigam and other areas comprising about thousands souls, Locals said, "Despite repeated pleas, the concerned department failed to do anything to mitigate the peoples' problems." Government constructed the water supply scheme cum filtration plant of thousands gallons capacity in year 2011, locals said adding the WSS developed a technical fault only after a months of its Commissioning and from that time government and department could not repair the filtration plant. Official sources said that the filtration plant developed some cracks and is laying defunct from last 12 years, but the department neither repaired it nor did they took any other step like investigation as the cracks developed only after the plant was commissioned. The residents said that the concerned Jal Shakti officials visited this area umpteen times and every time assured the inhabitants of redressing their grievance.
"However,this assurance proved hoax and people continue to suffer," locals added. "We also visited Deputy Commissioner's Office in Kulgam before Two years , DC there, assured us that the filtration plant will be made functional within a week but two years passed and his claims also proved to be hoax," Residents said.
"Scheme exhausted and in past year we faced price variations due which we couldn't proceed the rest work in the scheme but this we have made some necessary amendments in
when contacted Executive Engineer Jalshakti Quazigund about the problem, he assured that the problem will be solved within short period of time.the scheme and laid down some provisions under which we will hopefully made the scheme functional in the month of March April," said Executive Engineer,
The Residents have sought the intervention of Cheif Engineer Kashmir in this regard(KNS)