Baramulla’s Khanpora residents suffer due to water supply shortage

Baramulla, Oct 8: Residents of Khanpora, Baramulla, are suffering from a severe shortage of water supply. Locals are facing a lack of drinking water, forcing them to purchase mineral water cans. In response, local women took to the streets to protest the lack of basic needs and facilities, demanding an urgent supply of water for daily use.

During the Urs of Hazrat Syed Janbaz Wali in Khanpora, residents raised the issue of water shortages with authorities, resulting in the deployment of three water tankers for the event. People rushed to collect the limited supply of water. A local resident expressed frustration, saying, “I am sure not everyone received the required amount of water. When the tankers arrived, people rushed in groups to fill their pots; it was chaotic. We have been facing this issue for years, receiving only small amounts of water. It’s not just the shortage; the water is also polluted, which affects people’s health.”

The water crisis in the Khanpora area is a persistent problem. Residents struggle daily, not only with the lack of facilities but also with concerns about water quality. Locals have raised questions about the water's color and the high levels of iron present. “We have empty water tanks, so people are buying water cans from stores, but not everyone can afford purified or filtered water. The government must take the initiative to fulfill the basic needs of citizens,” said a local shopkeeper.

Residents of Khanpora mentioned that they are using water very sparingly. In the evenings, locals fetch drinking water from tube wells, and many travel long distances to obtain water, which limits their usage. “We have been facing this issue for years; no filtration plant has been established. It has become a major problem in our area, and we have raised the issue several times, but nothing has been done. We request the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department to address this issue,” said Ab Majeed Kumar, head of the Kumar Colony committee.

Regarding this issue, Er. Aijaz Ahmad Botu, Executive Engineer of Jal Shakti Baramulla, stated, “The Khanpora issue falls under the scheme of JKIDFC (Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation), which involves languishing development projects. Due to the stoppage of funding by JKIDFC, the process could not proceed. The Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla is also looking into the matter. We need 45 lakhs for this scheme to move forward. Our agencies are working on it, and the scheme is almost in the commissioning phase. We have committed to the locals that by the first week of December, the scheme will be resumed.”

Addressing concerns about drinking water among locals, he added, “Once the scheme is resumed, locals will be able to use filtered water directly from taps. For now, we provide them with treated water that contains alum and chlorine. It is not potable drinking water, but until the restoration of the scheme, it is advisable to boil it before consumption.”