Waris Fayaz
Sopore, Sep 15: Residents of Tarzoo in Sopore have accused the Jal Shakti department of providing them contaminated drinking water from Nallah Ningli, saying the local filtration plant has been defunct for the last three years.
Locals alleged that they are being forced to consume raw water from the Nallah which is connected to River Jehlum whose source is polluted, thereby posing health risks.
“Heaps of garbage, dog carcasses are common scenes on the banks of rivers. We use dirty water due to which several viral diseases break out here from time to time,” they said.
A local Basharat Ahmed Mir said there is a filtration plant in the locality but that is good for nothing.
“Despite complaints regarding the supplying of hazardous water, the concerned authorities are not paying heed to our grievances,” Mir said.
Constructed in 1983, according to a senior citizen Aijaz Ahmed Dar, the plant has not been cleaned since then.
He said that they took the matter with the higher ups in the block divas besides and the concerned department to no avail.
The residents have urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Deputy Commissioner Baramulla to address their grievance.
Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Jal Shakti division, Sopore Mudasir Ahmed said that necessary repair works in the plant will be done by a contractor.
Asked about supplying raw water from a Nallah to the residents, the official blamed the Mechanical wing, saying their wing has nothing to do with it.
The Mechanical wing senior official, Tariq Ahmed Wani said that they have stopped the lifting supply from the Ningli Nallah from the last few days and are directly taking it from River Jehlum. But he denied supplying raw water to the area.
The official also said that they have nothing to do with the cleaning process of the plant, it’s the civil department who has to look after the cleaning process. “We will still look into the matter and won’t let people suffer,” Wani said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Sopore, SA Raina said that the matter will be looked into besides a team of doctors will be visiting the area for necessary testing purposes.
