Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Mar 4: Notwithstanding the claims of the Government to provide access to safe and clean drinking water, two hamlets in the outskirts of Pampore town in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district are facing acute water shortage for last six years owing to failure of Public Health and Engineering Department to complete the construction work of a water supply scheme in the area.
The scheme to provide 40 MLD (Million Litres per day) of water to the two villages, Androosa and Gundbal, was approved by the Government in 2012, which was to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.3 crore. However, the failure of the authorities to complete the scheme has left nearly 2000 people without drinking water. The overstretching of the project has also escalated the cost of the project and further aggravated the problem.
The residents of the area lamented that the repeated assurances by the authorities have proved hollow and forced residents to dig high-cost tube-wells to mitigate the shortage, “Everyone cannot afford to dig the tube wells as they are expensive. Out of 200 households, only 15 have their tube wells in the area. Others are awaiting the completion of the water supply scheme,” Nazir Ahmad, a local said.
An official of the Public Health and Engineering Department said the delay in the completion of the project was due to a tussle between the two villages. “The people of the village wanted to distribute the project into two parts and subsequently, a tank was built at one village and well was dug at the other. It took some time to negotiate and that affected the project,” he added.
Locals said the existing infrastructure has suffered damage over the years as the authorities failed to maintain the upkeep. “I am not sure the existing structure can be used now. The authorities have deliberately left the project to rot so that more money can be withdrawn from the public exchequer to carry repair works,” Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Androosa, said.
Women of the areas said that since the area lacks piped water supply they have to travel long distances to collect water. “The women of every household has this duty to arrange the water for their families and have to travel long distances to get it,” Mubeena, a resident said adding the women of the area are facing extreme hardships in absence of piped water supply.
Executive Engineer PHE Awantipora Division, Ravi Kant said they have sent a proposal of Rs 82.3 lakh to the Government for approval and are waiting for the same.
Assistant Executive Engineer, Pampore Fayaz Ahmad Khandey said that the changes in the project escalated the cost and delayed its completion. “The whole project was proposed to be constructed in one place. However, the tank was built at one place and the well was dug at another place. Both the components are 90 percent complete but in order to connect them more funds are required,” he said, adding the detailed project reports have been sent.
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