Bring multi-purpose projects to address water crisis: Rattan

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 21: Provincial president of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), Rattan Lal Gupta has demanded that the Union Territory Administration led by the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha should bring meticulously formulated composite and multipurpose projects in order to address the water crisis that every year hit Jammu, Kathua and Samba regions of Jammu Province.
In a statement issued here today, the senior National Conference leader asserted that coming up with stop gap arrangements or temporary solutions does not address the root cause of the issue as a result of which the issue crops up again in the next season to be addressed again by adopting temporary measures. Moreover, it also involves huge expenditure every year, he added.
The NC leader said that in such a situation it is only the consolidated projects that can resolve the water problem once for all and provide the much needed respite to the people whose life becomes miserable due to water shortage during the peak summer months.
Gupta said that in the Kandi belt of afore said regions i.e. Jammu, Kathua and Samba every year during the summer months people can be seen on roads and streets in anguish to highlight their problems on account of water and power woes. Staging strong protests against the administration and blocking the highways and roads has become a common feature across these three districts when scorching heat is at its peak and people are sans water and power, he added.
The senior NC leader asked the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to focus on the Chenab River Water Supply Scheme with the aim to address woes of the people. He urged the LG to initiate the result oriented measures now as this is the ripe time to prepare project for addressing the upcoming water crisis in summers in Jammu area. He said that there is a need for establishing multipurpose projects capable of catering to both water and power requirements of the people.
Pertinent to mention that the Chenab River Water Supply Scheme was proposed by the then National Conference Government in J&K and the same was also sent to the Centre for funding.