Dansal, May 1 (KNS): Action has been taken by the Jal Shakti (PHE) Department after a protest by Nagrota MLA Devyani Rana over a water crisis in the constituency.

The department has given administrative approval for restoration of a dug well at Hurlani (Kapotha) in Dansal, which has been non-functional since August 2025 due to flood damage. Residents have been facing a shortage of drinking water since then.

The MLA raised the issue during her protest and called for restoration of defunct water supply systems in the area. Following this, the department sanctioned funds and started the process for repair work, which has been directed to be completed on priority.

Devyani Rana said that such action should not require protests. She said the government has allocated around Rs 3500 crore to the PHE department in the 2026–27 budget and also received around Rs 3000 crore from the Centre for flood restoration, but the impact is not visible on the ground in Jammu division.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

She said the water crisis is due to delay, lack of planning, and failure in maintenance by the department.

She said the response shows that issues are addressed when raised, but people should not be forced to protest for basic needs like drinking water.

The MLA said that while work on the Hurlani dug well has been approved, several other PHE stations and dug wells in Nagrota are still not working and need attention.

She asked the department to ensure proper repair work, supervision, and accountability.

Devyani Rana said she will continue to raise public issues and seek restoration of basic services in a fixed time frame.

She said people of Nagrota should have access to drinking water and that delays in administration should not affect this.(KNS)