Kachloo Qaziabad residents demand drinking water
The residents of Kachloo- Qaziabad, in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have complained that their area is without drinking water for the last several years and the concerned department was not taking up any concrete step to meet the demand of locals.
The residents said that they were forced to use contaminated water from a local stream which was really telling upon their health. “We always remain apprehensive about the contaminated water because earlier we have faced the brunt due to water borne diseases,” said a local.
They said that although an overhead tank worth Rs 9.8 crore was approved in the year 2019 but only 20 percent work has been carried out on it, leaving locals anguished.
“On the one hand the concerned department was claiming to provide water to every household but on the other we are being deprived of our basic right,” said another local.
“I have not seen tap water in our village since my childhood. I am 20 years old now but have not seen water running through pipes in our village,” he added.
Locals said that they have taken up the matter with the concerned on numerous times but to no avail.
The residents have appealed to authorities to redress their genuine grievances by way of providing them drinking water at the earliest.
Meanwhile, an official at PHE Division Handwara said that due to lack of funds, work was at halt.
“The project has now been kept under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and hopefully funds would be released soon following which remaining construction work would be carried out,” he added.
Khurhama – Warnow road in shambles, people suffer
The residents of Khurhama and Warnow in Lolab area of Kupwara are up in arms against authorities for dilapidated road conditions.
Residents complained that the four km road from Khurhama to Warnow was in complete shambles giving tough time to commuters.
Residents said that the road is dotted with potholes on multiple spots, exposing the tall claims of authorities into improving road connectivity.
“This main road happens to be in deplorable condition and has been left unattended by concerned authorities with the result commuters and especially school going children are the worst hit,” Imtiyaz Ahmad a local youth told Greater Kashmir.
Residents said that they have brought this issue many times into the notice of Roads and Buildings (R&B) department division Kupwara but after passing of several years nothing concrete has materialised.
They have sought immediate intervention of Deputy Commissioner Kupwara and appealed that the road must be repaired and macadamized so that the hardships of commuters may end.
Handwara town craves for repairment of street lights
The residents of Main Town Handwara have shown strong resentment against authorities for failing to repair street lights in the town.
The residents said that they have to face immense hardships in absence of lights while authorities were acting as mute spectators.
They said that the street-lights have gone out of order since the last two years but Municipal Committee Handwara was doing nothing with regard to repair or install new lights in the town.
The residents said that the entire town and especially Handwara market was reeling under darkness due to non-functional street lights. “Many shops were looted by burglars during the last two years taking advantage of the darkness, had there been functional street lights, the burglary could have been thwarted,” Parviz Tantray, a shopkeeper told Greater Kashmir.
“People especially children and elderly , are facing immense hardships in the absence of street lights. It is very hard to step out from home in the evenings. The streets are often overwhelmed with stray dogs which pose a threat to life,” said Irfan Hassan of Herpora Handwara.
Ajaz Sofi, President Traders Federation Handwara said that street lights were not working due to which commuters and traders have to face immense hardships. “The lights that were installed a few years ago had gone out of order and no steps are being taken by concerned authorities for their repairs. Almost the whole town reels under darkness during evening hours,” he said.
The residents claimed that the authorities spent lakhs of rupees on these lights but all in vain as the situation is the same as it was earlier. “We are facing immense hardships due to non-functionality of these street lights,” the residents claimed, adding, “We are getting only false hopes from time to time from different sections of local administration.”
Meanwhile, the aggrieved residents appealed to the concerned authorities to look into the matter and get the defunct lights repaired at an earliest.
People demand ambulance service at NTPHC Ashpora
The residents of Ashpora and adjacent areas have demanded ambulance services at New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) so that the hardships of shifting patients for tertiary care may end.
The locals while talking to Greater Kashmir said that at the time of any medical emergency, they were facing hardships to shift patients due to lack of an ambulance at NTPHC Ashpora.
“Two years back, the ambulance present here developed some technical following which was taken to Srinagar for renovation but since then its replacement was yet to be made,” a local PhD scholar and social activist Showkat Ahamd Wani told Greater Kashmir.
“We are forced to book a cab at the time of shifting patients to District Hospital Handwara. Had there been an ambulance available we could easily avail the service. The people residing here belong to the labour class so booking a cab has always been an issue for them,” he added.
The residents said that they have been moving from pillar to post to get this genuine grievance redressed but to no avail.
They have once again sought intervention of Director Health Services Kashmir in this regard so that their long pending demand is fulfilled.