JAMMU, Jul 6: Prominent leaders of the displaced Kashmiri Hindu community on Monday urged the Jammu and Kashmir Government to take immediate and effective measures to resolve the acute drinking water crisis in Jagti Township, saying thousands of migrant families are facing severe hardship due to an irregular and inadequate water supply.
Addressing the issue, migrant leaders Sanjay Dhar, Piaray Lal Pandita and Raj Kumar Ticku appealed to the Commissioner/Secretary of the Jal Shakti Department and the Relief Commissioner (Migrants), J&K, to intervene urgently and ensure a regular and uninterrupted supply of potable water to the township. They alleged that the situation has worsened after the Jal Shakti Department took over the water supply scheme and claimed that the department has failed to provide adequate services despite the availability of funds.
The leaders said the prolonged shortage of drinking water has severely disrupted the daily lives of thousands of displaced Kashmiri Hindu families living in Jagti Township. They maintained that access to clean and safe drinking water is a basic necessity and urged the administration to treat the issue as a matter of the highest priority.
They also appealed to the authorities to ensure a regular, adequate and uninterrupted supply of safe drinking water to every household without any further delay, expressing hope that the government would take prompt and time-bound action to provide immediate relief to the displaced community.
The migrant leaders further urged the Custodian Relief Organisation to monitor the utilisation and outcomes of funds released under the Security and Relief Department for water supply projects. They suggested that officials up to the rank of Junior Engineer should be entrusted with monitoring the water distribution system in every block of Jagti Township to ensure transparency and accountability.
They also called for strict supervision at water storage points to prevent any alleged pick-and-choose policy in water distribution and demanded that officials of the Jal Shakti Department be held accountable for the functioning of the storage plants. The leaders further sought restrictions on the alleged monopoly of private agencies handling the filtration plant and stressed the need to make all already-installed borewells operational at the earliest to improve water availability across the township.
The displaced community leaders expressed hope that the administration would address the issue on priority and provide lasting relief to the residents of Jagti Township.