Defunct filtration plant in Pattan village poses health risk

Baramulla, June 11: The residents of Yadipora Palhallan (D) area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have raised serious concerns against the Jal Shakti Department (JSD) for its continued failure to operationalize a crucial water filtration plant in the locality.
Despite repeated appeals and the plant’s proximity to the main water tank, potable water continues to be supplied to the area without any filtration, endangering public health.
Villagers alleged that the water filtration plant, situated just 800 meters from the water reservoir, has remained non-functional for several years, becoming a symbol of official neglect.
Locals said that the plant was constructed to ensure the supply of safe drinking water, but to their dismay, the structure has been abandoned without ever being put to proper use.
Ghulam Nabi, a resident, said that it is not just negligence; it is criminal indifference. “The department is supplying untreated water directly to our homes. Our children are falling sick frequently, and no one from the administration seems to care”, he said.
“We fear an outbreak of jaundice or typhoid. Clean drinking water is our basic right, but we are being forced to consume contaminated water,” he said.
The defunct filtration plant, villagers claim, has become overrun with weeds and rusting equipment.
“It’s only 800 meters from the main Overhead water tank, that’s less than a 10-minute walk, and yet they claim logistical issues,” Nabi added.
Meanwhile, locals said they have approached the concerned authorities multiple times, written formal complaints, and even held local meetings to draw attention to the issue. However, their pleas have met with little response beyond verbal assurances.
Abdul Ahad, another elderly resident, said that this is not a political issue; this is a matter of survival. We don’t want new promises, we want clean water, he said.
Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department Baramulla, Aijaz Ahmad, told Rising Kashmir that the filtration plant project was initially funded under NABARD, but that funding has since been closed.
“The project is now under this year’s Capex budget. If funds are allocated, it will be made functional,” he said.
The villagers are now demanding immediate intervention from higher authorities, including the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla and the Chief Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department.
They have also warned of peaceful protests if the filtration plant is not made functional in the coming weeks.