Pulwama-Shopian DIARY

 Pipes obstructing water flow in Shopian’s Sangloo stream

The Sangaloo stream, once known for its crystal-clear waters has turned into a mesh of water pipes.

The PHE Department has laid pitch-black water pipes almost in the middle of the stream, disrupting the free flow of water and narrowing its width.

Plastic bags and other materials usually stick among these pipes, causing disruptions in the free flow of water.

Magaray Mansoor, a social activist told Greater Kashmir that the department had been continuously laying the water pipes in the stream for many years.

“The pipes cause obstructions in the water body. All plastic and other solid material flowing with the water remain stuck in these pipes, causing disruptions in the seamless flow of water,” Magray said.

He said that the river was once known for its pristine waters, but now it had turned into a dumping site.

Magray said that the authorities should shift these pipes to restore the lost glory of the stream.

Although an official said that the pipes had been laid in the stream decades ago, residents said that fresh pipes were being laid in the stream.

Stench from drains causes inconvenience to Shopian residents

An overpowering foul smell permeates the neighbourhood of Jan Mohalla in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

The smell emanates from the uncovered drains near the Bazaar Masjid, causing great inconveniences to both the residents and pedestrians passing by the area.

“The waste water, which accumulates in the damaged drains causes the unpleasant smell,” said a group of residents.

They said that the pedestrians have to hold their nose as they pass by the area to avoid the stench.

The residents complained that the Municipal Council Shopian (MCS) had completely ignored this part of the town.

“This Mohalla is located barely a few meters away from Gole Chowk, the business nerve centre of the district, but the MCS has never paid any attention to it,” they said.

The residents said that they approached the MCS authorities many a time, but all their requests went unheeded.

 Lack of transport facility irks residents of Pulwama villages

The residents of several villages in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district are facing tremendous hardships due to the non-availability of transport facilities.

Many residents from Jandwal, Saidpora, and Bandzoo told Greater Kashmir that they had to face immense inconveniences in the absence of adequate transport facilities in their area.

Majid Ahmad, a resident said that they had to traverse a distance of around 4 km – from Bandzoo to his native village Saidpora – by foot.

“The cabs running from Pulwama town drop us at Bandzoo,” Majid said.

The residents appealed to the authorities to start a cab service between Bandzoo to Saidpora.

Pulwama’s Dogam village residents complain of contaminated water supply

The residents of Dogam village, some 6 km from Pulwama town, are forced to consume contaminated water due to the malfunctioning of a filtration facility.

The residents said that a threat of water-borne diseases looms large over the area as the inhabitants were forced to drink unsafe water.

According to the resident, a water tank was set up in 2007 to feed the village and its adjoining areas including the model village Ratnipora safe drinking water.

“However, its filtration section was never made functional,” the residents said.

They said that during the rainy season, they had to consume the muddy water due to the high turbidity.

An official said that the tank’s filtration section had a persistent leakage issue, causing it to hold water only for a short time.

He assured that the issue would be resolved soon.