SHAKEELA ANDRABI
Kokernag: The ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ scheme was launched in August 2019 as a big public infrastructure programme of Modi Government’s second term. Despite claims that the administration is working hard and very soon every household in valley will get tapped water supply, there are still many areas without either fresh or tap water.
Anderwan village in Sagam area of Kokernag, district Anantnag is an example in this regard. This village lies barely 20 Km away from district headquarters and is located on a hillock comprising mud houses scattered across adjacent mountains. Having around 150 households comprising more than 400 inhabitants, the village has never seen a proper water supply. The womenfolk of area are forced to go downhill to fetch water from a polluted source, be it winters or any other season. “We have been fetching water in pitchers from a pond some 3 Km down the hillock. It takes more than three hours of daily schedule to collect and bring water for our households while for some who live in upper mountains, it takes more time,” a local woman said.
Hamla Pati Rajwar, which is just 12 Km away from Handwara is also facing problem of water supply. According to locals, Jal Jeevan Mission of the government is of no use to them. “Even today, women walk long distances to get water from a well located in middle of a dense forest, which is not drinkable. The fetching of water is not the only concern or trouble we face on daily-basis, there is threat of wild animals also, especially in winters,” a local stated. An official from Jal Shakti department, while acknowledging that there are still some villages in Kashmir valley which are suffering due to unavailability of potable water supply, claimed that woes of people in respect of water supply will be addressed soon.
