Not only in the winters, the area often witnesses water crises even in spring and summer.
“We face immense problems in terms of potable water.
On the one hand, we men folk leave our homes to earn for two times of meals for our families; on the other side, as soon as we leave, our women start fetching water from a faraway canal that contains contaminated water, which results in the outbreak of diseases,” said Sartaj Ahmad, a labourer from the village demanding sanction of a water supply scheme.
Inhabitants from the area told Kashmir Reader that most of the people living in the area are economically backward and there is no influential political leader or bureaucrat to address their problem.
“Our repeated demonstrations and requests to the higher authorities for the redressal of our problem has turned into a nightmare for us; we are fed up now with the repeated visits to the district-level officials,” said local resident Javeed Ahmad Tantray.
Locals said that as many as half-a-dozen localities, including Chotipora, Saidpora and many tribal areas, are dependent on this water supply scheme.
“In this harsh and freezing winter, we suffer the worst.
Our feet and hands are numbed while walking the mountain pass to fetch drinking water,” Jabeena Akhter, a housewife from Saidpora, said while pleading to the authorities to solve their decades-long problem.
Numberdar, Saidpora village, Ghulam Mohiudin Kutay told Kashmir Reader that there is no door of the district administration on which they haven’t knocked for the solution of their problem, but they return heartbroken every time as the officials turn a deaf ear to their grievances.
On the sanctioning of water supply scheme, including a reservoir and filtration plant, he said, “I will put in a proposal and will write to the higher authorities for approval of funds.” Shah added that till alternatives are made available, he has directed the officials not to let PMGSY resume work on lanes that had damaged the pipelines.