Budgam, Jan 15, KNT: Locals of the Awanpora area in Khag, Budgam district, are facing an acute drinking water crisis, with nearly 60 households struggling in the absence of any functional water supply infrastructure, locals said on Thursday.
The locals alleged that despite the village being located barely one kilometre from the Khag Tehsil headquarters, the area has remained completely neglected by the authorities. They said there is no government provided water supply system in place, forcing families to depend on distant natural sources for their daily needs.
Local resident Firdous Ahmad said women from the area are compelled to walk nearly one kilometre to fetch water from a natural spring locally known as Naag, causing immense hardship, particularly during harsh weather conditions. He termed the absence of basic drinking water facilities in the present time as deeply unfortunate and reflective of administrative apathy.
The locals said that flagship schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and other initiatives of the Jal Shakti Department have not been implemented on the ground in their area. “We do not understand the purpose of these schemes when people here still do not have access to tap water,” residents said.
They alleged that despite repeated representations and appeals, their grievances have failed to evoke any response from the concerned departments. The inhabitants said the continued denial of safe drinking water has adversely affected daily life, especially for women, children, and elderly inhabitants.
The inhabitants have appealed to the District Administration Budgam, the Jal Shakti Department, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, and the office of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to intervene urgently and ensure the provision of potable drinking water to the area.
They warned that unless immediate steps are taken to address the issue, the suffering of the inhabitants will continue to worsen, calling for swift and concrete action to resolve the long pending water crisis. [KNT]
