Srinagar, Apr 25: Shortage of drinking water has hit many areas of the summer capital causing inconvenience to inhabitants.
Residents of Nai Sadak area of Habba Kadal staged protest against the unavailability of water supply in the area. The protestors said that for the past one month they are facing acute water shortage. The protesting women holding buckets and other containers in their hands raised slogans in favour of their demand.
“Our life without water has become a hell. No one is paying heed to our demands and now we are forced to hit the roads,” said one of the protestors.
“How can we survive without drinking water? We are unable to get water for drinking, let alone for doing other house chores. In the holy month of Ramadan, we are craving for water. The concerned department only laid pipes, but water supply is nowhere,” said a protesting woman.
The aggrieved said that their children, and elderly are suffering for a long now due to this issue.
The residents of other Downtown areas also said that they have been facing acute water shortages. Residents of Braripora Safa Kadal told Greater Kashmir that water crisis has become a norm in the area.
“We are facing inconvenience due to the issue. Most of the time, our taps are running dry and we are unable to do our routine work. We have to walk for miles to fetch water from other areas. It is ironical that we are being deprived of basic facilities,” said Sajida, a local.
Inhabitants of others city areas said that they have to rely on hand pumps to get water. “We have to rely on underground water. It has affected our health. Many of us have developed stomach infection due to untested water. Now amid absence of electricity, we are unable to lift underground water too,” said a local from Nai-Sarak. Residents of Mandir Bagh have also been complaining of acute water shortage. When contacted, Chief Engineer, PHE did not respond to multiple calls of his comments.