Drinking water shortage is a recurring problem in Jammu. In particular in some areas including the old city and the new colonies that have come up on Janipur- Bantalab axis, being at some height, has usually been facing water shortage. Though PHE has been trying to ease the water shortage crisis by deploying water carrying trucks to supplement water supply at affected areas and ERA has dug about 50 wells yet this is not a foolproof arrangement. At one time there was much talk about drinking water master plan for Jammu and hopes were created among the people that a time was near at hand when Jammu would overcome the difficulty of water shortage. However this was not to happen.
Jammu is part of Kandi area meaning an area where there is shortage of water. However, the redeeming factor for Jammu city has been that Tawi flows close to it and a plant has been established near Nagrota bypass and it is called Sitlee filtration plant where the water of Tawi is filtered and supplied to the city. This is actually the life line of the city of Jammu. Since three weeks in the past a large area of Jammu especially the newly raised colonies an localities of Jammu West, including New Plots, Sarwal, Janipur, Rehari, Bakshi Nagar, Subhash Nagar, Ploura, Buta Nagar, Roop Nagar etc and Old city are reeling under water crisis.
We understand PHE authorities are giving various reasons for shortage of drinking water. One reason is that the river has changed its course owing to flood and this has caused delay in restoration of supply of water to the filtration plant. The second reason given by authorities is that silting has taken place and the supply of water is reduced by a least fifty per cent. Both the reasons are flimsy and untenable. When the Sitlee Filtration and Pumping project was installed engineers must have taken into account the possibility of the river changing its course temporarily. They would not have established the plant without considering this possibility. Secondly, it is not the first time that Tawi overflowed with monsoon rain water. Did we have the rainy season for the first time this year? Rains come season in and season out and the Sitlee Plant has been functioning without difficulty. Secondly, de-silting is mandatory and has to be done at scheduled intervals. If there is fifty per cent silt why was it allowed to happen and why did not officers and engineer ensure de-silting at proper time? Because they did not perform their duty just ignored their responsibility, silting took place and now thousands of families in the affected areas are put to great inconvenience to the extent that some of them have to wait for three days when water flows for 15 minutes in their water tapes.
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