Sopore, Aug 06 (KNO): The residents of Adipora Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district have accused the Jal Shakti department of neglecting them by failing to provide them with a portable drinking water supply for the past 15 years.
Locals, who spoke to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that despite multiple grievances, the department concerned miserably failed to address their plight, leaving them without supply for years together.
They said that although the department laid pipes in the area, not a single drop of water has been seen through them till now.
“We are paying for nothing. We had government receipts (GRs), but still we are yet to get the water supply,” Anwar Ahmed, a local said, adding if the department can prove they are getting supplies through the laid pipes, they won't ever ask them for water supply.
Similarly, another woman from the village said that their lives have become hell. “In the past 12 years of my marriage, I have never seen portable water here. We have to visit relatives every Saturday and Sunday just to wash our clothes and bath our kids.”
Residents have appealed to higher authorities, including the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Baramulla to look into the matter as to why they are being neglected by the Jal Shakti department.
The affected areas include Dawood Abad, Rehmat Abad, Chan Mohalla and Bismillah Colony of Adipora, a village just two kilometers away from Sopore town.
Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), sub-division Watlab, Er Manzoor told KNO that the department has already taken up measures to address the problem.
“We are aware of the water scarcity in the area, being the tail-end portion of Water Supply Scheme Zaingeer, but steps to resolve the issue have been initiated and we expect the water shortage to end within the next four months,” the official said.
He said that the area is being covered by a separate line from Watlab, which is under execution under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
The official in the meantime said that the area is being fed with water tankers, once a week to mitigate the crises.
The official also urged residents to avoid using the drinking water supply for kitchen gardens or irrigation purpose to ensure adequate supply for everyone—(KNO)