Shopian: Twenty water supply schemes meant for over a hundred villages in South Kashmir’s district Shopian were affected due to recent heavy snowfall and freezing.
Official sources said that almost all the habitations in this hilly district were affected due to the intense freezing of pipelines in the forested areas.
More than 35 villages of the district are still without drinking water facilities since the recent snowfall.
Locals from many areas of the district told Kashmir Reader that this year they saw worst ever drinking water problems due to the arrival of untimely winter and later the decline in night temperature.
Shahid Ahmad, a local from Ramnagri said that they have no water supply in their area. Locals in the area said that their water supply scheme has no reservoir but being supplied directly from the rivulet.
Executive engineer public health engineering, Irfan ul Islam told Kashmir Reader that among 20 schemes, 12 have been restored while work on eight is going on.
“Our men are on job to restore the services and we request people to bear with us till the services will get restored,” he said.
Irfan added that by Saturday evening provided the weather remains dry; they hope water supply to affected areas will be restored.
“There was snag in the source of the water supply schemes at Dhobijan that is why most of the schemes were affected,” he added.
He requested people to cooperate with the department till the service is restored and added officials; technical and field wings of the department are on job.

Raashid Hassan