Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR July 26: The rise of water-borne infections has made the inadequate filtration system at the Gulab Bagh water supply scheme in Hillar Shahabad in the Anantnag district is a source of worry for the residents of several villages.
The residents said that numerous disease outbreaks have occurred in more than six villages, including Hillar, Shahabad, Pranigam, Ujroo, Nai Basti, Chaan Mohalla, Gujjar Basti, and the Toll Plaza, as a result of exposed water sources and a deficiency in filtering systems.
“Recently, around 200 people have fallen ill in these villages as a result of contaminated water,” Bashir Ahmad, a local, said, adding that the water supply scheme was developed roughly four years ago as a result of the neighboring railway tunnel drying up the natural springs in the region.
According to the locals, the water is contaminated as soon as it is stored in a reservoir since it is not covered. “The water that leaves the tunnel is stored in a reservoir at Pranigam that is brimming with filth. It occasionally has floating animal carcasses, making it unfit to drink,” another resident Ali Mohammad said.
The locals said that the Jal Shaki department should filter the water properly before supplying it to residents. “To protect people’s health, filtration mechanisms should be implemented. However, to reduce the likelihood of contamination, they should at the very least cover the water reservoir before doing that,” the locals said.
They said that the officials’ lack of concern for the problem is leading to an increase in the incidence of water-borne illnesses in the villages that depend on the facility. “Many people were afflicted with intestinal infections brought on by contaminated water. This Eid, many people were suffering from intestinal infections,” locals said.
The locals said that more than 200 people became ill as a result of the contaminated water and that medical personnel flocked to the area to stem the disease’s spread. They said the Jal Shakti department also moved its men to clean the storage tank and treat the water.
The residents said that while lower-level Jal Shakti department personnel had often saved them while higher-ups turn a blind eye. “We request that the administration looks into this before a serious incident occurs in these villages,” Sajad Ahmad, a local said.
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