Kandi belt worst hit with drinking water shortage: Manjit Singh

Jammu, June 24: Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu and former minister, S. Manjit Singh on Monday said the drinking water crisis has deepened in the Kandi belt as the Jal Shakti Department has failed to supply required tap water.
“The water supply scheme Jal Jeevan Mission that was aimed to provide drinking water has not been implemented on the ground,” he said, citing complaints from the locals who attended the meeting at Vijaypur.
He said the administration has not been able to grill the officials who are responsible for implementing the Jal Jeevan Scheme on the ground.
“Therefore, the situation has compelled the Kandi belt people to buy drinking water from the market,” he said, adding that the Jal Shakti Department has also not provided any water tanker to supply drinking water to the belt.
Singh said the people hire private tankers to provide them with drinking water whereas the Jal Jeevan Scheme has collapsed to yield any kind of result. “The officials of the concerned department are not being held accountable for their inability to implement the scheme on the ground,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Apni Party leader said the people were also concerned about the underdevelopment in SC and ST colonies in Parmandal, and other areas of the Kandi belt. He demanded that the neglected residential colonies should be developed, and all basic amenities should be provided in these areas.