Prolonged dry spell:
Kashmir midst of water crisis, tankers run out of fuel
Srinagar, Aug 13, : Due to prolonged dry spell, Kashmir Valley, particularly Srinagar city is in midst of water crisis.
Reports said people are immensely suffering due to water scarcity in scores of Srinagar localities. These include Alochi Bagh, Wangan Pora, Goripora Eidgah, Fakir Gujri, Kohnakhan, interiors of Habad Kadal, Rambagh, Rawalpora, Qamarwari, Lal Bazar and so on.
“When we need the water most, it disappears. During morning and evening hours, taps are dry. It has become a routine for us to collect and store the water in the middle of the night which is sleeping time,” locals from Wangan Pora Eidgah told news agency KNT.
Water scarcity in Srinagar is unprecedented as the area is surrounded by water bodies and glaciers.
Insiders said that all PHE Divisions in Kashmir have failed to come up with a plan to deal with the situation. “In different villages of Sonawari Tehsil of Bandipora including Rakh Shilwat, Ganistan, Nowgam, Shiganpora, PHE has stopped the practice of supplying water to locals in tankers. Locals said that PHE tankers have stopped supplying water to them saying these tankers run out of fuel and they can’t afford the fuel for these tankers due to pending liabilities.
“Tankers are supplying water and there is no shortage of fuel. People are lying,” said Executive Engineer PHE Ghulam Rasool Leharwal, a claim refuted by locals who are continuously protesting against PHE from past week.
On Thursday, multiple protests against PHE were witnessed while at some places, people especially females blocked roads. In Aabghar Tral area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, protesting women blocked Tral-Dadsara road, forcing commuters to take alternate routes.
Similar protest was held in Krawoora village of Southern district which is just 6 kilometers away from Shopian mini-secretariat. The villagers said they yearn for drinking water while all their pleas have gone to deaf ears.
Chief engineer, PHE Kashmir said that people should use make judicious use of potable water.
“ Due to rise in mercury there has been increase in demand of water, so people should use water judiciously,” he said.
He informed that to deal with situation, PHE has constituted several checking squads who have been authorized to seize the water pipes, pressure motors used by locals for watering gardens, washing vehicles. (KNT)
