Baramulla, Jun 10 (KNO): For over four years, the residents of Milat Colony in Delina area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have been grappling with an acute drinking water crisis, with no end in sight.
Residents speaking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that despite repeated appeals, deadlines and temporary fixes, they remained parched and neglected, even forced to depend on unsafe water sources.
“We wait for hours and when the tanker finally comes, it either can’t enter narrow and broken inner lanes or has too little water to serve us all,” said Misra Begum, a local resident.
With no piped water supply, most families are left to rely on hand pumps and tube-wells. But residents say the water drawn from these sources is neither clean nor safe for consumption. “The water from our wells is visibly contaminated. It smells bad and tastes metallic. We are forced to drink it — what choice do we have?” said Ghulam Nabi, an elderly resident.
Notably, a piped water supply scheme was sanctioned to alleviate the crisis; however, locals claim the project has been dragging. “Officials told us the scheme would be completed by March. It's now June, and there’s no trace of progress,” said another resident.
“It seems our suffering is not a priority for the administration.”
“We are tired of hollow assurances. We want action — clean drinking water is not a luxury, it's a right,” said Aabid Ahmad, adding the ongoing scarcity has not only disrupted daily life but also posed serious health risks.
The residents urged the district administration and the Jal Shakti Department to treat the matter with the urgency, as they fear the crisis could spiral further if swift intervention isn’t made amidst the scorching heat.
Meanwhile, Executive Engineer Jal Shakti (PHE), Baramulla Er. Aijaz told KNO that the residents are currently being supplied water under the existing scheme, but the demand has significantly increased over the years.
“A new water supply scheme was initiated earlier this year to address the growing needs; however, progress has been hampered due to lack of funds and some technical and administrative hurdles. Moreover, we have observed instances of misuse of potable water — people are using it for kitchen gardens and other non-essential purposes, which puts additional strain on an already stretched system,” he said.
The official urged the public to use drinking water judiciously as they work towards a long-term solution—(KNO)