Khanpora residents suffer excessive water supply shortage

Baramulla, Oct 09: Residents of Khanpora Baramulla have been suffering from unavailability of water supply for the past many years . Locals revealed that they were forced to buy mineral water cans while the local women in the area have come on roads to protest against the lacking facilities. They have been demanding urgent restoration of water supply. The locals revealed that the work of the filtration plant was stopped years ago which continuously affected the lives of locals who are still struggling with drinking water issues.
They said that during the Urs of Hazrat Syed Janbaz wali in Khanpora Baramulla three water tankers were deployed with people leaping to get the required amount of water.
The locals said that the issue of water supply in the Khanpora area is a regular problem. They said that the water was always impure.
“It has been almost six years when tender was passed for the work of the filtration plant, unfortunately work stopped because of fund issues between contractor and management. I have been following the management for years to fulfill water needs of locals. Now we have been told by the department of PHE that work will be done very soon,” said Malik Shabir, Gen Secretary Auqaf Islamia Khanpora Baramulla.
Speaking on the issue, Executive Engineer of Jal Shakti Baramulla Er. Aijaz Ahmad Botu said, “The issue of Khanpora was under the scheme of JKIDFC (Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation) which is for Languishing development projects. Because of the stoppage of funds by JKIDFC, the process stopped, DC Baramulla is also looking into the matter. We needed Rs 45 lakhs for this scheme to get the process done, our agencies are working on it and it is almost in its commissioning phase, we have committed to the locals that till the first week of December the scheme will be resumed.”