Langate, Oct 13: Residents of Kumar Mohalla, Walrama, on Monday staged a peaceful protest outside the office of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Division Handwara, alleging the department’s failure to provide them with drinking water for several years.
The protestors, including men and women, blocked the Handwara Kupwara highway for about 07 minutes,near PHE Division office Handwara,raising slogans against the PHE Department and accusing officials of neglect and making false promises. The residents said that despite regularly paying water fees, their area has been deprived of a tap water supply for years. They also criticized the tall claims made under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), terming them hollow on the ground.
Residents said they are forced to fetch water from far-off areas, causing immense hardship, especially to women and the elderly. They appealed to the Deputy Commissioner Kupwara to intervene personally and ensure the installation of a public water point in Kumar Mohalla at the earliest.
Soon after a little signal,Handwara Police rushed to the spot to pacify the protesters and assured them that their grievances would be conveyed to the concerned authorities. The police later cleared the road and restored the movement of traffic peacefully.
When contacted, a senior PHE official (who requested anonymity) admitted that some households in Walrama are facing around 60% water shortage. “The area was covered under the JJM scheme last year, but due to non-availability of funds, the contractors could not complete the work on time. Around 75% of the project has been completed,” the official said.
He added that funds are likely to be released soon, after which the remaining work will resume. “Today, our team under the supervision of JE Noupreet Singh is reviewing the water supply situation, and we hope the issue will be resolved by this evening,” the official said.
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