Ganderbal, June 21: Inhabitants of main town Kangan in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district are reeling under a severe water shortage for the past week, leaving the local population desperate for a solution. Frustrated by the lack of response from the concerned department, residents took to the streets on Wednesday to protest outside the SDM Office in Kangan.
The demonstrators voiced their grievances, emphasizing that despite repeatedly raising the issue with the authorities, their pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Consequently, the local population has been forced to resort to using contaminated water, posing serious health risks.
“Our community has been without proper drinking water for the past week, and it seems like the department has turned a blind eye to the basic problems faced by the people in this area,” lamented a female protester.
Expressing their disappointment with unfulfilled assurances from the authorities, the protesters highlighted the inconvenience of having to travel to other locations in search of drinking water.
Subsequently, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Kangan and concerned police officers met with the demonstrators, assuring them that the water scarcity issue would be escalated to higher authorities in the Jal Shakti department. They promised to expedite the resolution of the problem, addressing the legitimate demands of the community.
Simultaneously, the residents of Pethpora Village in Wussan Ganderbal also find themselves at odds with the Jal Shakti department, as they face prolonged water supply disruptions.
The villagers expressed their distress over the shortage of drinking water, highlighting the hardships endured by the entire community. “For many days now, we have been grappling with water scarcity. It feels as though the concerned department is playing a hide-and-seek game with us. We are truly facing a lot of difficulties,” stated a local resident.
In light of the dire situation, the residents urged higher authorities to intervene promptly and address the matter effectively.
The affected communities anxiously await a resolution to the water scarcity crisis that has severely impacted their daily lives, hoping that their legitimate demands will be met by the concerned authorities in the Jal Shakti department.
