Reeling under water crisis, Jagti residents look to Guv

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 15

The Jagti satellite township for displaced Kashmiri Pandits has been facing severe drinking water crisis due to frequent snags in the 4-km-long water pipeline.

Irate over the “indifferent” attitude of the authorities concerned, residents have made several complaints to Governor NN Vohra on his Twitter handle @jandkgovernor seeking early redressal.

“It has been three days since I complained against shortage of drinking water supply, but it has not been addressed yet. Tanks are empty and tubewells discharge dirty water. The authorities are negligent. They only supply water to their respective blocks. Take action,” Randeep Kher, a resident, said in his complaint to the Governor.

The township comprises 4,218 flats for displaced Pandits. The foundation of the satellite township for displaced Kashmiri migrants costing Rs 335 crore was laid by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 15, 2007, under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme.

Official sources said the township had been facing shortage of drinking water due to faulty pipeline that passes through a nullah before culminating at water storage tanks.

“The water requirement of the entire township is about 8-9 lakh gallons per day, but it is getting five lakh gallons. The water is lifted from the Tawi in the Tok Waziran area. A major portion of the water pipeline passes through a nullah and suffers damage every time there is flood during monsoon,” sources said.

The entire operation of water supply to the township has been outsourced to a private company, which charges on a monthly basis.

“There is no water shortage in the township. It requires 38 lakh litres of water and we are supplying more than that. The supply was affected last week due to flooding of a water channel at the lifting station. We are following Centre’s guidelines of providing 130 litres of water per capita per day, but people are now raising their demands manifold. It is practically not possible to meet this demand,” said Vijay Razdan, who looks after the operation of water supply.

ML Raina, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants), admitted that there was water scarcity in the township and said it was due to flash floods in the nullah through which the water pipeline passes.

“We are making efforts to improve and ensure regular water supply to the township, but the pipeline suffers frequent snags due to flash floods in the nullah. We are planning to have a permanent solution to the problem. For improved and regular water supply, we require a dedicated power supply feeder, which will cost over Rs 55 lakh, while the shifting of pipeline from the nullah will cost around Rs 25 lakh. We are hopeful of finding a permanent solution to the problem soon,” Raina said.