Several areas of Shopian face water shortage, residents suffer
Lack of basic necessities exposes India’s claims of development in IIOJK
Srinagar: Several areas of Shopian district in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are facing an acute shortage of drinking water, forcing residents to rely on contaminated water sources to meet their daily needs.
Residents of Gada Mohalla, Peer Mohalla and Bona Bazaar areas of the district said they had been facing inadequate water supply for the past several months. The limited availability of water has made it difficult for households to meet their daily needs.
A resident, Basharat Amin, said Gada Mohalla had been facing a water shortage for the past four to five months. “We receive very little water, while the pressure in the pipelines is so low that we have to use water pumps to draw it,” he said.
He said residents had never witnessed such a severe water crisis before and that the shortage was causing considerable hardship to households.
Another resident, Ashiq Hussain, said households were receiving water only for a short period, which was insufficient to meet their domestic needs. He said the available water was not even enough for washing clothes and carrying out other household chores.
The residents urged the Water Supply Department to take immediate notice of the issue and ensure a regular and adequate supply of drinking water to the affected areas.
Shopian is known for its rivers, streams and springs, with several water resources located across the district. However, despite the availability of these resources, the authorities have failed to ensure an adequate and regular water supply to the local population.
BJP-led Indian government has been making tall claims of development since revoking IIOJK’s special status in August 2019. However, the continued shortage of basic facilities and essential services has exposed the hollowness of these claims.
