Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 21: Despite the passage of more than 7 years now, the overhead tank in the Khanoo Babagund area of North Kashmir’s Handwara in district Kupwara is lying pending with the result the people living in the area and those adjacent to it are facing immense hardships.
The residents in this regard have expressed resentment against the Jal Shakti Department for failing to complete the work of the overhead tank and said that they are facing difficulties due to lack of potable drinking water.
As per details, the project was sanctioned way back in the year 2014 under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), following that, the work was started and the funds were also allocated, however, despite so much time that has passed, the work on the overhead tank remains incomplete.
The locals said that the project, once completed, is going to cater to the needs of the people living in the areas such as Khanoo, Babagund, Kacree, Ujroo, Lalbugh. “But due to the callous approach of the authorities, the people continue to suffer,” people said.
The details state that the overhead water tank was supposed to be constructed at a cost of Rs 13.5 crore out of which Rs 6 crore were already sanctioned.
In addition to it, Rs 70 lakh were already spent on the overhead tank while as rest of the work has not been taken up so far. The project includes the construction of a filtration plant and the laying of pipes to the villages.
“In the absence of clean drinking water in the areas, the people are forced to consume contaminated water from a stream flowing nearby, and there are all the chances of disease outbreak in the villages,” Tariq Ahmad, a local said.
The officials said that when the project was not completed well in time under the NRDWP scheme, it was put in the languishing projects; however, they said that there is certain paperwork that needs to be completed before the work is resumed.
Er Zubair Ahmad Adhami, Executive Engineer, PHE Division, Handwara told Excelsior that there were some issues with the design of the project and that same has been sought by the concerned higher-ups. “We are expecting that to be done soon and after that, the work will start,” he said.
On the other side, it has been learned that the papers regarding the design of the project are missing, and due to which despite the project being in languishing projects has not been completed.
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