Srinagar, 24 June: Residents of Rather Mohalla, village Buran, Pattan, are up in arms against Jal Shakti department for failing to ensure supply of portable drinking water to the locality.
The residents said they were being forced to drink containment water which poses threat of infection.
The residents alleged that they have brought the issue in the notice of department concerned several times since 2018 but to no avail.
Mohammad Rafiq told KNS, “The PHE employees in village Buran are providing enough water supplies on preferential basis. Sarpanches, panches and other influential people are enjoying 24*7 drinking water supply and the people living in the down village are not getting a single drop of piped water”.
“If there is less quantity of piped water to fulfil the needs of the entire village ‘shift scheme’ should be used instead of the preferential supply. The Mohallas in the upper village be provided water supply for one day and the Mohallas in the down village be provided the water supply the other day”, said Nisar Ahmad, a resident of Rather Mohalla.
When KNS contacted Er. Abdul Wahid, chief engineer Jal Shakti department Kashmir division, he said, “He is not a field officer. I do not know about the water supply shortage in that particular area. I can’t go to the village or Mohalla level” When KNS questioned what is your duty then he said, “I will look into the matter and get back to you”.
When KNS contacted Assistant executive Engineer, Sub-division Pattan, Ishfaq Ahmad, he said, “There is water shortage in that particular area. The Ganjipora/Buran water supply scheme has been approved to do away with this water shortage”. He said, “We will explore the possibilities to provide piped drinking water supply to the affected area” when KNS asked will the villagers live without water till the completion of the said scheme.
The locals appealed to the authorities to provide them regular water supply. An official of the department assured the issue will be resolved soon (KNS)