6 villages hit by cloud burst without water

By
Daily Excelsior
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Excelsior Correspondent
MENDHAR, Aug 31:  At least six villages and several hamlets of  Chhatral and Kalaban area of Mendhar in district Poonch which had been badly affected with the cloud burst twice are without water supply for the last nearly one and half month.
A large population of this belt is facing immense scarcity of potable water but the concerned PHE authorities and even the District administration has literally failed to mitigate the sufferings of the people. Most of the villagers are either bringing water on their bikes or vehicles, while many on-foot from the natural sources which are located away from their houses. Even the water supply through tankers has not been ensured to these villagers.
The hapless villagers  held protests several times and also approached concerned PHE Sub Division officers  and even the concerned Tehsildar but authorities have turned a deaf ear towards this genuine problem.
A local Sarpanch of the area told the Excelsior that  at present villages including Kalaban, Chhatral, Kas Baladi, Chhunga, Nadol, Bhati Dhar and Tappa besides several `Morhas’ are facing acute water shortage problem. The water supply scheme  has turned defunct, pipes got washed away but no restoration work has been ensured by the authorities even after 45 days.
Executive Engineer, PHE Poonch Abdul  Qayoom and AEE concerned Mendhar, Showkat Choudhary said that they had sent a project worth Rs 1.50 crore to the District Administration for the restoration of water supply to this affected area but due to non-availability of funds, they could not initiate emergency restoration of water supply to these villages. They said as and when the funds are made available to them the works would be restored.
However, Dy Commissioner Poonch, NA Wani said that as per his knowledge the water supply has been restored to the area but if it has not been done, let a representation of the people of the area reach him and he would certainly make some arrangements for the release of funds for the purpose.

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