Baramulla, June 28: The Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district is grappling with acute water scarcity for the past several weeks. Now, on the eve of Eid-ul-Adha, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) S A Raina on Wednesday called on the Jal Shakti Department to address the crisis on an immediate basis.
Acknowledging the severity of the situation, ADC Raina emphasized that the current one-hour water supply per day was unacceptable. He called for immediate action to alleviate the distress faced by the residents.
Following the discussions with senior officials, the officer announced the approval of a substantial Rs 55 crore project by the Jal Shakti Department to mitigate the water scarcity in the town.
As an initial step, the department has been directed to identify and rectify leakages in the water supply system, he said while emphasizing the urgent need for rationalization of supplies to ensure that all residents receive an adequate share of water.
To address the immediate crisis, the ADC said he has asked the Jal Shakti Department to increase the number of water tankers available to cater to the affected areas. The residents facing acute water shortages should contact the department to avail of this service, he said.
He assured the people that steps are being taken to alleviate the water scarcity promptly.
Sopore town has witnessed dozens of protests this month due to the prolonged water crisis. The drinking water crisis has severely impacted the areas including Sofi Hamam, Hathi Shah, Ningli, Takiyabal, Adipura, Krankshivan colony and Chakrodey Khan.