Water shortage evokes protest in Handwara

Kupwara, July 8: Dozens of vehicles were stranded on Monday morning after the residents of the Wakhura 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 Assistant Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department Division Handwara, Adnan Ashraf, along with other officials arrived on spot and assured protesting women that their genuine grievance would be redressed.

"A separate new water supply scheme has been approved for Waskhura and hopefully by the end of this year, it will be accomplished. Until the new water scheme is laid, we shall be sending water tankers on a regular basis to Waskhura so that people can heave a sigh of relief," he added.