Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, May 30: Irate public today held strong protest demonstration against the PHE authorities and blocked Mendhar-Poonch Road near Uchhad for about three hours.
Sources said that the people from Bejra and Uchhad including large number of women along with their empty pots came put on the road and stalled the movement of vehicles. They started protest demonstration against the PHE authorities Poonch and Mendhar for their failure to ensure supply of drinking water to people. The people alleged that many PHE pipes are lying broken and local pumping station is said to be lying out of order. The public is without water for two weeks.
Later, SDM Mendhar directed AE PHE Abdul Majid to rush to the spot. The AE then assured the public to ensure water supply within two days. The people agreed and then lifted dharna at around 11 am.
Meanwhile, SDM asked XEns PHE and Mech Divisions Poonch to ensure better supply of water within one week in Mendhar area or face action. He also sought explanation of the officers as during checking by a team under him, out of 26 water pumping stations, 9 were found closed.