Pulwama: Inhabitants of Darbag Shopian and Zahidbagh, Rakh villages of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district Thursday said that the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department is putting the lives of thousands of residents at risk here by supplying contaminated water to them.

“We are receiving impure water as authorities have failed to restore the filtration plant that got partially damaged in 2014 deluge,” the residents told ‘Kashmir Vision’.

They added that many people including women and children were infected after consuming the contaminated water.

According to the residents, the PHE officials since 2014 floods were not purifying water due to which the locals face tremendous problems.

“Several dead birds, insects and other small creatures are seen floating in the tank as there is no cover placed on it,” the locals said.

The children and the old aged people are mostly getting infected by the water and the doctors have advised people not to drink the tap water directly,” the residents added.

“The department is risking the lives of people by supplying the contaminated water,” a resident from Zahidbagh said.

According to the inhabitants, the pipes carrying water from the water treatment plant to the village are also in pathetic condition.

“The PHE employees every year change pipe lines, due to which they are ruptured at most places. The existing pipes are not able to supply water to the whole population, resulting in sufferings to the local populace,” Arshid Ahmad said.

Exen PHE division Awantipora, Ravi Kant, when contacted told Kashmir Vision that a team headed by JE will be send to the spot to check the problems.

He informed that some pipes were damaged due to the JCB and assured that the issues pertaining to the residents will be solved soon.

Guest