Cloudburst in Ganderbal village leads to water scarcity in Srinagar’s Downtown areas

Srinagar, July 30: Following a devastating cloudburst that struck Ganderbal village, the residents of several downtown areas in Srinagar are now grappling with a severe water scarcity. The incident has left the Jal Shakti Department under fire, with locals expressing anger over the lack of portable drinking water and the distress it has caused among the populace.
The affected areas, including Zakura, Soura, Anchar, Nawa Kadal, Umerabad, and adjoining regions, have been facing acute water shortages, with taps running dry for the past 24 hours. The situation has become so dire that people are forced to purchase packaged water to meet their basic needs.
Sharmeen Bana, a resident of the affected area, highlighted the urgency of the situation, stating, “Since Saturday, there has been an acute shortage of drinking water in the area, and people are compelled to buy packaged water. We appeal authorities to rectify the issue as soon as possible.”
Sanjeev Kumar, Chief Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department, shed light on the root cause of the water constraint, explaining, “The cloudburst in Ganderbal village has resulted in a blockage of the Prang Ranguil water channel, which supplies water to several parts of Srinagar, including the damaged downtown regions.”
Kumar assured the public that efforts were underway to address the issue promptly, saying, “Both men and machinery have been pressed into service, and the channel will be through by late night.” He expressed confidence that the water channel would become operational again, providing much-needed relief to the affected areas.
In response to the unprecedented situation, The Water Works Department issued a public notice, informing residents that immediate action was being taken to restore the functioning of the water channel. Ground teams are working tirelessly to remove debris and make necessary repairs. However, given the extent of the damage, the restoration process is expected to take some time and effort.
The Water Works Department urged the residents of the affected areas to cooperate during this period and understand the challenges involved in restoring the canal to full efficiency.
The locals are anxiously anticipating the return of regular water supply to their homes.