Shopian: Amid drought-like conditions in Kashmir triggered by a poor rainfall, authorities in south Kashmir’s Shopian district have warned people of legal action for using drinking water for irrigation purposes.
The move comes in the face of a law and order situation that arose at Pinjora village of the district where authorities tried to restore water supply to a locality which was denied of the same since last two decades. Witnesses said that the moment authorities brought in pipes to restore the drinking water supply, a large of of villagers from another locality stopped them to do so which resulted into a scuffle between the two groups forcing police to use tear smoke shells to disperse them.

A public notice issued by the office of the Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Mohammad Yasin Choudhary reads that “a lot of people in district are puncturing the water supply lines and use the water for irrigation purposes of orchards and lawns which has resulted into drinking water shortage to many areas”.

As per the notice, Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department (erstwhile PHE) has been told to file the names of such persons to deputy commissioner’s office and people have been told to refrain from such activities.

It’s pertinent to mention here that dozens of villages in Shopian are facing drinking water crisis since a fortnight. Officials blame the water shortage to puncturing pipelines by farmers for irrigation purposes, incomplete schemes and drought like conditions prevalent in the valley for a while.

Raashid Hassan