Hatli people dependent on contaminated water

A defunct dug well in Hatli area of Kathua district. -Excelsior/Pardeep
A defunct dug well in Hatli area of Kathua district. -Excelsior/Pardeep

Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, June 13: Residents of Panchayat Hatli in Kathua district are deprived of drinking water and dependant upon natural resources of contaminated water in this modern age.
Keeping in view the shortage of drinking water in Hatli Kandi area, the Public Health Department has constructed a dug well last year in the July month.
The dug well was successfully dug out and a pump motor was also fixed to start the water supply. The residents said that unfortunately after passing of one year the PHE Department failed to provide the water supply to the people.
They said the reason is that the Department did not connect the dug well with village supply line by laying 200 to 300 meter pipeline.
The villagers are eagerly waiting for connectivity of water pipeline with new dug well. The wait is extending day by day and since one year has completed.  The villagers are paying the price of ignorant attitude of concerned department.
A villager Avtar Singh condemned the attitude of concerned department. He said that the village women are carrying the drinking water on their heads from natural resources which are two to four kilometer away from their residences. He said that the number of deputations approached to PHE Department but they got only one answer that no one contractor is ready to execute the pending works to connect the supply line. He said that Department has only excuses to befool the innocent villagers of Kandi areas and they still living in pre 1947 era when village women were forced to lift the drinking pots on their heads after walking a mile to fetch the water.
The villagers urged the higher authorities to took the works on urgent basis as they are facing acute shortage of drinking water.
The well to do people in the area are purchasing the water through private tankers at Rs 1500 to 2000. But the poorer are walking a miles to fetch the drinking water.