Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Feb 22: Despite recent rainfall, the water level in Aripal Spring—on which nearly six water supply schemes depend—continues to remain dry, worsening the water crisis in the region.
According to reports, Aripal Spring has remained dry for nearly three months, causing severe difficulties for the local population.
Officials from PHE Tral said that the depletion of the spring began in December last year, and despite recent rainfall, the water level has not improved even by 5 per cent.
The drying up of this key water source has led to a severe water shortage in many areas of Tral.
An official from the Jal Shakti Department said the situation remains critical. He said the residents have been facing water scarcity for the past three months.
“Tanker services have been deployed, but they can only meet about 10 per cent of the demand,” the official said. “The situation is extremely concerning as the recent rains have failed to restore the water source for six water supply schemes.”
He added that every effort is being made to supply water through tankers, but the demand far exceeds availability.
“We were hopeful that the water flow in the spring would be restored by February 18, but that hasn’t happened for unknown reasons,” he said. “If the situation persists for a few more days, we could be facing an even tougher crisis.”
