Jahangeer Ganaie
Pulwama, Aug 27: A Water Supply Scheme (WSS) in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district is functioning without filtration plants even after a decade since the scheme was started, thus simultaneously forcing the locals to drink contaminated water.
The residents of Rakh, ZahidBagh and Darbagh villages in Pulwama said that the Bon Rakh-Zahid Bagh Water Supply Scheme, which was made functional some ten years ago, is functioning without a filtration plant.
They said that in absence of a filtration plant, the water from NallahTongri is directly being supplied to the residents here, which is highly contaminated, thereby risking the lives of hundreds of people.
Javaid Ahmad, a local resident said that despite that scheme was started a decade ago, it is unfortunate that no filtration plant has been ensured there due to which the people are getting water from the canal directly.
He said that since last 10 years, they are forced to drink contaminated water of Nalla Tongri, which is highly contaminated; adding that the people living on Nallah Tongri ahead of these villages throw all their dirt in the canal and the same water is supplied to them.
Locals said that they have brought this issue into the notice of higher ups several times but to no avail.
The residents urged authorities to install a filtration plant there and connect all pending household with the scheme at earliest.
