Baramulla, Sep 5: Residents of Chak Kanispora, Pathula, and Tawheed Colony in Baramulla took to the streets on Tuesday, blocking the vital Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway for several hours in protest of the severe shortage of drinking water that has plagued the area for the past three months. The protestors, including men, women, and children, gathered at the Baramulla-Srinagar Highway to voice their frustrations over the lack of access to safe drinking water.
The protestors raised slogans against the Jal Shakti Department and the local district administration for their ‘callous approach.’ “We are facing an acute shortage of drinking water for three long months, and it feels like no one is listening to our pleas,” said a woman protestor.
The protestors said that the situation, exacerbated by the scorching heat, has left them with no choice but to take to the streets and block the highway, disrupting daily life for the entire area.
They said that the crisis hits the women in the area the hardest, as they struggle to manage even the most basic daily tasks without access to adequate water. “We are barely managing to secure enough water for drinking; washing clothes and performing other chores have become near impossible,”the women protestors said. “Our plea to the government is simple: please resume water supply to our areas.” Later on the Police Officer DO Delina arrived at the scene and assured the protestors that their concerns would be conveyed to higher authorities and vehicular movement on the highway was eventually restored. The protestors appealed to the authorities to urgently address the water crisis that has left the area parched for months.
