Hajibal Baramulla residents face acute water scarcity

Baramulla, Nov 23: Residents of Hajibal village in Baramulla are grappling with severe water scarcity, despite the completion of a Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) water supply project in the recent past.

According to the residents, the project was executed at an estimated cost of nearly Rs 1 crore.

The residents complained to Greater Kashmir that the scheme, after completion, has rendered largely ineffective due to inadequate source water.

"We appreciate the department for completing the scheme under JJM, including pipelines, reservoirs, and distribution networks, but it has yet to bear any results," the residents said.

Locals said the current source does not have sufficient discharge to cater to the population of the village, which leads to erratic and insufficient water supply to the households.

“The project is technically complete, but without adequate source water, it cannot serve the purpose it was built for,” said Abdul Rasheed, a resident.

According to locals, several households receive barely a trickle of water or, at times, none at all.

The residents urged the Jal Shakti Department to immediately tap additional water sources from the upper reaches of Gabewar, which they said have higher and more reliable discharge levels.

They said these potential sources could significantly strengthen the supply and make the existing JJM scheme fully functional.

Public representatives and elders in the village echoed the demand that a project worth Rs one crore should not remain underutilised.

“Augmenting the source is the only way to ensure that the infrastructure does not go to waste,” the residents told Greater Kashmir.

Residents urged the department to carry out a prompt field assessment and exploration of alternative water sources in Gabewar, along with necessary pipeline extensions or intake structures.

With the onset of the winter season, the residents of Hajibal urged the administration to prioritise source augmentation so that households in Hajibal receive a stable and adequate drinking water supply.

Executive Engineer, PHE Department Baramulla, Er Aijaz Ahmad Batu said the source of the new scheme is the same as was earlier.

"We have worked a lot to complete the scheme. The area was not motorable and we had to carry the material on horses," he said.

He said the scheme is running smoothly, but overall, all sources are perfectly depleted.

"But I will personally look into it. We will see how it can be proposed and if the source can be upgraded," he told Greater Kashmir.