No end to drinking water crisis in Srinagar
Srinagar, Sep 1: Many areas of the summer capital are grappling with an acute shortage of drinking water even as PHE authorities have failed to restore the supply or press water tankers into service.
The residents from Uptown and Downtown areas said the lack of proper water supply has disrupted daily life and added to their hardships.
They said localities including Barzulla, Natipora, Batamaloo, Chanapora, Lal Nagar, and Bag-e-Mejtab have been hit by a water crisis. Residents complain that for the past several days, they have been struggling to manage their day-to-day routines.
“We haven’t received a proper water supply for almost a week now. Cooking, washing, and even drinking have become difficult. We are forced to either buy water or borrow from neighbours. It has completely disturbed our routine,” said a local from the Uptown area.
Srinagarites said that the situation is no different in Downtown areas. Residents of Gojwara said that water mostly trickles in during morning and evening hours, leaving them helpless during the rest of the day.
“During the day, water is scarcely available. We have elderly patients at home, and this shortage makes life miserable for them. At times, we have to wait for hours just to fill a few buckets,” said Shoib Bhat.
They said that amid the peak marriage season, many people are facing difficulties who have to host guests at their homes and community halls. Many households said the water being supplied post-floods is muddy most of the time. Locals in several areas demanded immediate intervention from the authorities. Meanwhile, residents of the Nowhatta locality in Downtown also appealed for long-term infrastructure upgrades. “It’s not just about today’s shortage. We need better storage and supply infrastructure so that such crises don’t repeat,” said Amin Makhdoomi, a resident.
A senior official from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department acknowledged the disruption. “Following the heavy rains, there was huge turbidity in the raw water sources, which made it unfit for drinking and also put pressure on our infrastructure,” the official said.
Officials said that to manage the situation, they supplied water in shifts, and in some areas, the supply had to be stopped temporarily. “However, the issue has been addressed, and full restoration will be ensured by today itself. Minor damage to infrastructure caused by the flood-like situation has also been repaired,” they added.
