Srinagar, May 04 (KNS): The work on over 2000 water supply schemes is under implementation but most have been stopped due to lack of funding.

The number of incomplete and defunct water supply schemes continue to increase due to lack of funding and depletion of resources in the state.

An official document of ministry of drinking water and sanitation reveals that there are 2,004 piped water supply (PWS) schemes under various stages of implementation in the state.

Out of these, 786 are multi-village PWS, 507 are single village PWS, and 711 tube wells, hand pumps.

However, work has been either been stopped or going at slow pace in 1,600 water supply schemes for want of funding, an official of Public Health Engineering Department, said.

Baramulla was allotted 173 schemes, Anantnag 156, Budgam 111, Kupwara 109, Kulgam 101, Shopian 90, Srinagar 98, Bandipora 89, and Ganderbal 73.

Similarly, 294 schemes were sanctioned for Jammu district, 168 for Rajouri, Poonch 89, Kishtwar 99, Kathua and Samba 72 each. While for Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region, 149 schemes were allotted.

With lower precipitation this year, over 40 water-supply schemes in the Valley have also been hit this year alone, the official said.

The PHE department stipulates a per capita supply of 135 litres in the cities, 70 litres in towns and 40 litres in villages.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Rural Kashmir suffers most during summers as the department currently supplies 75 million gallons a day (MGD) against a requirement of 85 MGD, the official said.

At the same time, several areas in Kashmir are facing water shortage, bringing inconvenience to the people.

“Our area always faces shortage of drinking water,” Mohammad Subhan, a resident of Habak told KNS.

Nisar Ahmad, a resident of Budgam town too complained that they experience water shortage. “We rarely receive tap water during the day,” he added.

The PHE department is also grappling with the loss of water due to the obsolete distribution system and inefficient filtration plants in place.

“We need robust funding from the Centre to revamp the entire distribution system,” one of the officials of PHE department told KNS.

The official said that state was receiving over Rs 500 crore per annum under National Rural Development Water Programme till 2014.

“Since then, there has been decline in the centre’s funding and get half of its funding annually,” the official said. (KNS)