We get contaminated water due to Nallah mining: Kunzer residents

Srinagar, March 31: Residents of Kunzer in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Friday alleged that they are getting contaminated water due to mining on the nearby Frozpora Nallah.
According to residents, PHE supplies drinking water directly from Ferozpora spring in which dredging work is currently underway.
Khurshid Ahmad, a resident of Kunzer said half a dozen villages in the area have been affected over the past three weeks on the Ferzopora Nallah as the residents get muddy water.
The resident said the villages that get the contaminated water include Shah Mohallah, Kasai Mohallah, Gonipora, Chanpora and other adjoining areas of Kunzer.
“Due to dredging of the Nallah, the pipes have been blocked due to mud. The extraction should be stopped immediately. The concerned authorities have recommended only 2 feet of dredging; however they have dredged 15-20 feet that will damage the Nallah and affect the canals and agricultural land as well,” he said.
A large number of residents of the village, particularly women and children on Thursday hit the roads and shouted slogans against PHE department for failing to provide them regular water supply and for ignoring their sufferings in the absence of proper water supply.
The resident said all the children and elderly people in these villages are unwell due to the contaminated water supply.
“It is very difficult to deal with drinking water shortage during Ramadan. Most of the time our women flock have to travel longer distances to obtain potable drinking water,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, another resident.
The residents demanded that the extraction should be stopped at the Nallah which has already deteriorated over the years due to the flash floods in the area. The residents fear that the agricultural land around is also at risk of damage.
Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) PHE Tangmarg Division, Mukhtar Khanday said that he along with the concerned Tehsildar have visited the spot and the residents will get a separate water pipeline by Monday.
“We have proposed a project and we will connect them through a separate pipeline to end the problem. The pipeline will be functional by Monday and they will get clean drinking water,” he said.