Shopian, Aug 22: The residents of Gagran locality in south Kashmir’s Shopian district Tuesday held a protest demonstration over the sudden shortage of water in the area.
Scores of residents including women blocked the Shopian-Kulgam road in protest against the failure of the Jal Shakti Department to ensure seamless drinking water supply to the area.
“The area has been reeling under severe water shortage for the last 10 days,” said a woman protester.
She said that they were forced to hit the streets as the authorities failed to restore the water supply.
The protesters raised slogans against the Jal Shakti Department.
“We brought the issue to the notice of the department several times but to no avail,” the protesters said.
They said that nobody was ready to listen to them.
“Over the last seven years, the officials have been giving us the runaround,” the miffed residents said.
Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department, Abdul Rashid told Greater Kashmir that the water supply to the area had been restored.
He said that the area was without water since Monday evening.
The official said that some orchardists had cut the main source of water to irrigate their fields, which led to water shortage.