PULWAMA: Wahibugh village in Pulwama district is facing acute water scarcity with residents accusing authorities of failing to provide drinking water supply.
The residents told Kashmir Reader that they have been without water supply from past one month and had to face immense hardships.
They said women folk from the village have to stand in long queues at few tube wells to fetch water for cooking and drinking.
Many others have to fetch waters from streams.
“Those who fetch water from streams were risking their lives as the stream water is contaminated and can invite epidemics in the village,” a villager said adding that if the water supply to the village was not restored the residents would come out on the streets.
They said that they have complained to Public Health Engineering department several times, the department has “left us on God’s mercy”, even though “several residents of village are employees in the department”.
The villagers appealed minister of state and higher officials of PHE to look into the problem.
Executive Engineer PHE Pulwama and Shopian, Nisar Ahmad told Kashmir Reader that he inspected the area himself and found that they have spring water which was utilized by Goosu residents.
“The water level in that spring has depleted and we have drift scheme but due to frequent power curtailments uninterrupted water supply could not be made possible,” he said, adding that he has consulted the mechanical division of PHE for drift water scheme which would soon be operational.
He, however, said that they would provide water tankers to the villagers till the problem gets solved.