Water shortage evokes protest in Handwara area

Kupwara, Apr 22: Dozens of vehicles were stranded on Monday after the residents of Gonipora Wani Mohalla area of Handwara blocked Handwara-Magam road to protest against the Jal Shakti Department for failing to provide them tap water for the last several weeks.

The protesters, mostly women, assembled at Talri bridge and blocked the road for some time while chanting anti-department slogans.

The protesting residents said that they were facing tremendous hardships due to non-availability of water from the past several weeks.

“We have been deprived of drinking water for the last several weeks. The department has miserably failed to provide us water. The concerned department has taken us for a ride, forcing us to register a protest,” said a woman protestor.

Later Tehsildar Handwara Zeeshan Khan along with other officials arrived on spot and assured protesting women that their genuine grievance would be redressed within days, following which they dispersed peacefully.