Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar July 6: Over sixteen villages are facing an acute shortage of drinking water owing to the failure of Jal Shakti Department to execute a Water Supply Scheme at Wadipora area of Handwara in North kashmir’s Kupwara district.
With an aim to provide potable water to the lower belt of Rajwar block, the Government sanctioned a Water Supply Scheme at Wadipora area in 2014 with an estimated cost of around Rs 3-crores but the scheme is incomplete despite the passing of six years.
The locals of the areas lamented that they have often lodged their protest against the lack of clean potable water in their areas, but their pleas went unheard. “We are waiting for the completion of the project for last six years but despite missing multiple deadlines the project stands incomplete,” Abdul Razzaq, a local said, adding that the poorly filtered water has taken a toll on their health as several people from the area were suffering from different water-borne diseases.
The worst sufferers are the womenfolk who have to walk long distances to fetch the water. “There is scarcity of drinking water in the area and we have been ignored by successive governments. No heed is being provided towards our requests,” Parvez Ahmad, a resident said, adding this highlights the abysmal approach of the government towards the development of rural areas.
The locals said that the project would have reduced water deficiency to a great extent. “We get only 2-3 hours of drinking water in a week. We were happy when the plant was sanctioned in the area but the callous attitude of administration has dashed our hopes,” Bilal Ahmad a local said.
He, however, alleged that the 90-percent of the work that has been carried on the building has suffered damages even before making the plant functional.
Zubair Ahmad, Executive Engineer PHE Handwara, and Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Imam Din did not respond to multiple call of this reporter.
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