Water scarcity evokes protest in Sopore

Sopore, July 23: Scores of inhabitants including women of Chankhan area of Sopore Tuesday staged a protest against the Jal Shakti department for failing to provide regular water supply to them.

The protesters assembled and blocked the road at Chankhan bridge here in Sopore affecting the traffic movement for hours. The protesters said that the residents were facing water shortage for the past many years and the department was forcing them to consume water from rivers and open streams.

They further said that most of the localities within the town hardly received tap water that too with a low pressure only for one and half hours from 48 hours, however in this scorching heat wave water shortage has worsened day by day in the localities.

Fatima Begum, a protester, said that they approached the concerned officials many times but to no avail.

She said that  contaminated water is affecting their health. Meanwhile, ADC Sopore and Tehsildar Sopore along with a police team reached the spot and after assurance of ADC for adequate water supply to the locality the protesters withdrew from the road for traffic movement.

Officials of the Jal Shakti department Sopore said that the volume of water typically decreases in summer, exacerbating the problem. They said that the grievances of the people would be resolved soon.