Unpotable water supply irks consumers

Vikram Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 18

The private water supply chain in Jammu catering to the needs of shopkeepers, small hotels, restaurants and inns is serving water filled from ‘unknown sources’ and charging consumers Rs 750 per month.

Though the sellers claim that they get the water checked every six months from the Food and Supplies Department, they fail to answer if the water is fit for consumption and does not contain germs and bacteria.

The consumption of this water at Nai Basti recently led to diarrhoea and vomiting among a few residents who complained that besides dirty water, the campers in which it was brought were filthy and broken.

The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department supplies water to the sellers who in turn supply it to the shopkeepers.

“In such circumstances, the six-monthly check-up of water is an eyewash. From what source the water is collected and distributed to us is not known,” said Ramesh Gupta, a mobile shop owner at Nai Basti.

The owner of Aryan Sheetal Jal Company at Rehari, Naveen Mengi said since they collected water from the PHE tankers for supply to customers, they were demanding a licence for its sale.

“Let the government give us a licence with a specific instruction to collect water from a particular source. We are ready to complete all formalities and that will save us from daily complaints of dirty water and campers,” said Mengi.