Kupwara, Oct 9: Women and other residents of Kasta Khumriyal in Lolab staged a protest over the failure of authorities to ensure a regular drinking water supply, saying the crisis has persisted for nearly a decade.
Carrying placards and raising slogans, the protesters said residents, particularly women and children, were being forced to fetch water from distant sources to meet their daily needs.
“Nearly ten years have passed, but we are still struggling for something as basic as drinking water. We have approached the concerned department several times, but the problem continues,” a protesting woman said.
Another protester said residents had lost patience with repeated assurances. “We do not want promises anymore. We want a proper and dependable water supply system in our village,” she said.
The protesters accused the concerned department of failing to act despite repeated representations and warned that they would intensify their agitation if the issue was not resolved at the earliest.
The demonstration also briefly disrupted traffic, causing inconvenience to commuters, patients, schoolchildren, shopkeepers and others.
Meanwhile, Kupwara MLA Mir Fayaz acknowledged the hardships faced by residents and said he had taken up the issue with the Jal Shakti Department.
“I have personally met the Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti, and also raised the issue in the Assembly, but still no progress has been made, although the required funds are available with the department,” Fayaz said.
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