Subzero temperatures lead to freezing of water pipes in Pulwama

Pulwama, Jan 09: Subzero temperature during night gives a tough time to people in upper reaches of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Residents from far off villages of the district informed Rising Kashmir that cold weather conditions have caused freezing of water supply lines in their area.
They added that due to freezing of supply lines availability of portable water has been affected to many households.
Nazir Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Kaydara locality of Ichgoza village informed Rising Kashmir that water supply to around 30 households have been affected due to freezing of Batfojan water supply scheme.
“We are facing tremendous hardships due to shortage of portable water from past six days,” he said, adding that the water supply lines have been freezed which affected water flow through them.
“The Jal Shakti Department( PHE) supplied portable water through a tanker but that fell short to meet the requirement of affected residents,” he said.
He said that the supply lines are exposed at many places due to which they suffer freezing.
The residents of Khaydara said that from last two days they had a tough time in unfreezing the pipes on their own.
“ Around 60 people, 2 from each family have been working from past two days to unfreeze the 3 kilometer long supply line by burning straw over them. We also repaired many cracked portions,” they said.
The residents said that the cloaking of water supply lines forced them to use dirty water from Romeshi rivulet flowing through the area.
The reports of freezing of water pipes were also received from some areas of Sangerwani and CB Nath villages of the district.
The residents appealed authorities of Jal Shakti Department for covering the exposed (naked) water pipes in the soil or with insulation so that they are saved from getting freezed.
Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department Pulwama, Javid Ahmad Lone said that they will be preparing an estimate of about insulation requirement so that it will be shown up in the next year’s plan.
“ We will also be covering water pipes with soil where ever it is possible,” he said.