Dr Daisy Parihar
Water is life – a necessity so basic that its absence threatens not only health but the dignity of everyday living. In Kishtwar, a scenic yet remote town nestled in the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir, access to clean drinking water has become a pressing public concern. A region blessed with natural water resources such as the Chenab river now finds itself grappling with a deepening water crisis – not due to scarcity of water, but due to failures in infrastructure, accountability, and governance.
For decades, the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department has operated a central filtration plant, supported by the Naigadh Water Supply Scheme, designed to deliver over 25 lakh gallons of treated water daily to residents of Kishtwar and surrounding areas. However, the ground reality in 2025 paints a different, more alarming picture. The system is faltering. Despite the promise of technology and public spending, what flows through the taps is increasingly unsafe, irregular, and, in many areas, entirely absent.
Residents from various parts of the town – including Pochhal, Sarkoot, Hatta, Matta, and Malipeth – report water arriving only once every 15 to 20 days. In some hilly or distant colonies, residents go without water for nearly a month, making them dependent on private borewells, unfiltered river water, or commercial tankers that charge steeply. Many families, especially those from economically weaker sections, cannot afford this, leaving them with no option but to consume water that is visibly dirty, foul-smelling, or untested.
The consequences are already visible in homes, hospitals, and schools. Medical professionals in Kishtwar have seen an uptick in cases of diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice, and skin infections – all illnesses linked to unsafe drinking water. Children, especially under five, and the elderly are most vulnerable. A pediatrician from the District Hospital reported seeing nearly double the usual cases of gastrointestinal issues over the past two months. Parents speak of frequent medical bills, lost school days, and the constant fear of disease.
Rubeena, a schoolteacher in Sarkoot, voices her concern: “We are boiling water every day. Still, the smell and color don’t go. We cannot afford bottled water for the whole family. It’s exhausting.”
Bashir Ahmad, a father of four from Pochhal, adds, “I took my child to the hospital twice this month. The doctor said it’s because of contaminated water. But what are we supposed to do when this is all we have?”
An elderly widow from Hatta shared, “We wait for days with empty buckets. People with money install RO filters or buy water. What about the rest of us?”
These are not isolated complaints. Across Kishtwar, the chorus of discontent is growing louder.
What deepens the crisis further is the reported non-functionality of the main filtration plant. Despite years of funding, no clear explanation has been provided about its poor output. Water that is supposed to be filtered and chlorinated often reaches homes untreated, leading to doubts about how effectively the plant is operating – or whether it is operational at all. Citizens and local representatives have repeatedly demanded a white paper on the functioning and finances of the plant and associated infrastructure. Without transparency, the community is left in the dark, unsure where the allocated money has gone.
Another significant issue plaguing the water distribution network is unauthorized water connections. Residents and officials allege that illegal diversions from the main pipelines have disrupted the supply system. These unauthorized setups, often done without basic hygiene considerations, compromise pressure, reduce availability, and introduce pollutants into the system. In many cases, these pipes run through dirty or garbage-strewn areas, creating high contamination risk during rainfall or seepage.
The lack of maintenance around water sources and pipelines is yet another contributing factor. Waste disposal practices remain poor in certain neighborhoods. Garbage, including household waste and construction debris, is often found dumped dangerously close to water tanks, pumping stations, or exposed pipelines. During the monsoon season, surface runoff mixes waste with open drains and may enter poorly maintained water lines, making even treated water vulnerable to contamination. The consequences during floods are even more dire.
In such circumstances, the privilege of having a Reverse Osmosis (RO) or UV-based purification system becomes apparent. However, these systems are expensive – both in terms of purchase and maintenance. A standard RO unit costs anywhere between ?8,000-15,000, not including replacement filters and electricity consumption. Many working-class families simply cannot afford it. In such homes, tap water is used directly for drinking, cooking, and cleaning – making the reliability and quality of public supply even more critical. Water should not be a commodity available only to those who can afford purification. It is a basic right and a public good.
This brings us to the broader issue of systemic failure. The town’s water crisis is not just about pipes, pumps, or filters. It’s about planning, governance, and accountability. Questions must be asked, and answers must be provided:
* Why is the filtration plant not functioning efficiently?
* Where have funds for maintenance and modernization been spent?
* What steps have been taken to detect and penalize unauthorized connections?
* Has regular water testing been conducted? If yes, why are reports not publicly shared?
* Why is water distribution so uneven across different localities?
There is an urgent need for a comprehensive response plan from both the administration and civil society. Addressing the problem requires both short-term action and long-term vision.
What Can Be Done?
Immediate Repair and Modernization of the Filtration Plant
A thorough technical audit must be conducted. Components such as filters, chlorination units, and pumping motors need inspection, repair, or replacement. The plant must function at full capacity, and regular testing should be mandatory.
Crackdown on Illegal Water Connections
An honest survey of the distribution network should be done to detect unauthorized pipelines. These connections should be dismantled, and strong penalties imposed. Simultaneously, genuine water needs in underserved areas must be addressed through official channels.
Release of White Paper and Real-Time Water Quality Reports
Public confidence can only be restored with transparency. The PHE Department must release a detailed document outlining past expenditures, current infrastructure status, and future plans. Regular water quality reports should be made public online or through community notice boards.
Rotation-Based Supply Management
Water supply should be managed equitably, ensuring no colony is without access for more than 48-72 hours. Temporary supply through mobile water tankers or local storage tanks can be used where the pipeline network is under repair.
Improve Sanitation Around Water Infrastructure
Strict regulations should prohibit garbage dumping near water sources. Sanitation teams, possibly in partnership with local NGOs, should carry out regular cleaning and awareness campaigns to protect water areas.
Launch Community-Based Awareness and Monitoring Programs
Citizens should be empowered to report leaks, contamination, and unauthorized activity. Schoolchildren, women’s groups, and community leaders can be involved in campaigns on water hygiene, conservation, and rights.
Form a Local Oversight Committee
A committee including medical officers, engineers, journalists, school principals, and volunteers should be constituted to monitor progress and regularly interact with the administration.
Explore Long-Term Alternatives
With Kishtwar surrounded by abundant water bodies, including the Chenab River, the administration must explore building smaller decentralized filtration units or gravity-based supply systems in harder-to-reach localities. Rainwater harvesting and rooftop storage solutions could also be encouraged at the household and community level.
A Call for Urgent Action
It is heartbreaking to see families line up for water in the early hours of the morning. It is painful to hear that children are missing school due to waterborne diseases. It is unacceptable that, in 2025, a town like Kishtwar – located in the lap of Himalayan rivers – cannot provide clean water to its people.
Water is not a luxury. It is the foundation of life, health, and opportunity. The people of Kishtwar are not asking for privileges – they are demanding what they are entitled to: a basic, essential human right. This crisis must serve as a wake-up call – not just for Kishtwar but for every part of the country where promises of development are made but not fulfilled at the grassroots.
The time to act is now. Every delay is another child sick, another parent stressed, another community betrayed. We must come together – officials, citizens, civil society, and media – to solve this crisis not only with infrastructure but with integrity and intent.
Because when water – the very essence of life – becomes unsafe, we must all ask At what cost ?
Follow our WhatsApp channel
