Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Apr 5: The residents of nearly three hamlets of Tangmarg area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district today alleged that Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department is forcing them to drink untreated water as it has failed to restore the water supply scheme located at Drung.
The locals from the affected villages including Hajibal, Waniloo, Warpora and other adjacent areas alleged that the department was supplying water from a local stream wherein all the sewage of nearby hotels was dumped thereby putting the health of hundreds of people at risk. “Water-borne diseases have gripped the villages and scores of children are suffering from infections and other diseases due to continuous consumption of contaminated water,” said Riyaz Ahmad, a local.
An official of PHE Department of Tangmarg Division when contacted said all the water supply schemes leading to the area were damaged due to the heavy snowfall that the area witnessed in the last week of February and the services will be restored within a week.
Asked why they were supplying untreated water to these areas, he said: “It’s the residents who approached us and came up with the idea of using the local stream for drinking water. But now the supply is disconnected as it was not fit for drinking,” he said.
MLA Gulmarg, Mohammad Abas Wani said the restoration work is underway and they were devising an alternate plan to beat the water crisis. “Within one week, the water scheme will be restored. All the water pipes within one-kilometre radius will be replaced as they were severely damaged,” he said.
He said the problem with the existing water supply scheme is that it caters to only 10-15 villages and double the number of villages is yet to be covered. “We have a problem with open reservoirs and every time it rains the water gets contaminated which directly reaches to our homes. To meet the demand we are planning to explore the ground water by digging some borewells in the area,” he said.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel