Handwara residents block road over water shortage

Handwara, Oct 3: Residents of Tarkpora in the Rajwar area of Handwara staged a protest on Friday against the Jal Shakti Department, alleging they have been without tap water for the past 20 days, causing significant inconvenience.

Men and women protesters blocked the Handwara-Wader road, demanding immediate restoration of drinking water. “We have been forced to fetch water from unsafe sources for the last twenty days, exposing children and the elderly to waterborne diseases,” said a female protester. Villagers said repeated pleas to the department were ignored. Police later pacified the crowd, after which the protest dispersed peacefully.