Srinagar: It has been a year now but the breach in the Sindh Extension Canal is yet to be fixed, leaving hundreds of people in Srinagar still without water supply.
Major water supply plants at Rangil, Alestang and the Water Supply Scheme (WSS) at Hadoora stopped receiving water from the canal when a breach developed on December 2, 2019, at Malshahi Bagh in Ganderbal. These water supply plants cater to more than two lakh people living in areas on Srinagar outskirts.
City areas that have been suffering from water scarcity since the breach developed include Soura, Anchar, Elahi Bagh, Mehmoodabad Buchpora, Gulab Bagh, Nowshara, Lal Bazaar, Habak, Zakura, Saderbal, and Saida Kadal.
Residents of these areas say that despite repeated reminders, the Jal Shakti department is doing nothing to address the issue.
An official at Jal Shakti Department acknowledged that the water supply is inadequate to meet the demand even though the department has placed four pipes to bypass the breach.
Chief Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, Iftikar Wani told Kashmir Reader that “it will only take 20 days to complete the work”.
“We are coordinating with the Flood and Irrigation Department as they are restoring the canal,” he further said. “Only minor work is incomplete now. It will be completed in the next 20 days.”

NAZIMA SIDIQ