Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Aug 19: At least 16 Water Lift Schemes are lying defunct since long and the concerned department is in deep slumber in Mendhar Sub Division of Poonch district.
A large number of people from Darana, Kotan, Salwah, Chhatral and other areas of Mendhar are affected due to non-functional Water Lift Schemes. The residents said that many months back a water tank was constructed by the Jal Shakti Department claiming that population of over thousands souls will be provided water, but the reality on the ground is something else as the scheme remained non-functional.
“The water tank was constructed but till date the supply of water could not be made available to the public”, the residents said.
Sarpanch of Darana, Haji Sariq Kahn, Basharat Choudhary, Rajesh Sawhney and others said that from the past several months they are approaching officials of the Jal Shakti Department and Mechanical Department besides local administration regarding water scarcity issue due to non-functional Water Lift Scheme, but nothing has been done till today.
“Our family members are compelled to bring drinking water after walking miles every day, but the department is in slumber and not taking any action to make Water Supply Scheme functional”, they alleged.
According to sources, the biggest negligence behind the non-working of these schemes is that of Mechanical Department, whenever there is a technical fault on a motor or transformer, the concerned department takes many days to get it rectified, due to which water supply is provided to the people is not done.
The residents have urged the Lt Governor of the Union Territory of J&K to hold high level probe and take action against the erring officials, who are not taking steps to make this Water Lift Scheme functional.
SDM Mendhar said that there were total 20 Water Lift Schemes in Mendhar Sub Division which were not functioning, while four schemes have been repaired and made functional. He said that the remaining schemes would also be started as the matter has been taken up with the concerned departments.
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