Concerns over the safety of drinking water have resurfaced in parts of Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district after residents of Gawalta village found a dead snake inside a pipeline supplying water to the locality, raising questions over the maintenance and monitoring of the public water supply network.
The incident comes weeks after a similar complaint from Karkroo Mohalla in Nambla, where residents had reported finding dead rats inside a water storage tank and supply pipelines.
Both incidents have generated severe resentment among the local population, who accused the Jal Shakti Department of not taking care of the water tanks, pipelines and other components of the supply network.
In the fresh incident, the residents said the Sokad-Gowlta Water Supply Scheme had remained non-functional for several days, leaving the village without regular drinking water.
They said that despite repeated requests to employees of the Jal Shakti Department, the problem was not addressed promptly.
“With the supply remaining disrupted, the local residents inspected the pipeline themselves on Monday and found a dead snake lodged inside it,” said Arif Hussain, a local resident.
The presence of the snake triggered concern among residents over the possibility of contamination and the overall hygiene of the water distribution system.
The residents of Gowlta have now urged the department to conduct an immediate inspection of the entire supply network, clean and disinfect the pipeline and ensure that only safe water is supplied to households.
They have also sought an inquiry into how the reptile entered the pipeline and demanded preventive measures, including regular inspection and sanitation of water infrastructure.
Residents said repeated complaints involving contamination or poor maintenance were a major issue in the area and the concerned authority should ensure monitoring of drinking-water schemes in the Uri area.
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