Dear Sir,
Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities concerned to the acute and persistent water crisis in Channi Himmat Housing Colony, Jammu. The officials and operating staff of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, in apparent coordination with the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), have created utter chaos due to poor, inadequate and highly erratic supply of water, an essential commodity for human survival.
Despite a written assurance given by the PHE Department to the Hon’ble High Court of Jammu & Kashmir in a Public Interest Litigation filed by this Association, the situation on the ground has only deteriorated. For the last several months, water supply has been disrupted repeatedly and is restored only after gaps of several days, that too for a mere 10-15 minutes, making it practically useless for households.
During the ongoing winter season, water is supplied only once in three to four days across various sectors of the colony. There is no grievance redressal mechanism, and residents are subjected to mental harassment and apathy.
If this is the state of affairs in peak winter, one can only imagine the severe crisis awaiting residents during the upcoming scorching summer months, posing a serious threat to public health and hygiene.
There is no fixed schedule for water supply. It is released arbitrarily at odd hours-sometimes at 4:00 AM, 6:00 AM, 7:30 AM or even 11:30 AM-despite the fact that electricity supply remains normal.
A large number of residents are senior citizens who are forced to remain awake throughout the night waiting for water, as the faulty PHE infrastructure is such that water does not reach even a foot in height without electric pumps.
Prima facie, it appears that a nexus exists between officials of PHE, JMC and the private water tanker mafia, creating artificial scarcity and forcing residents to purchase water at exorbitant rates.
The matter warrants an immediate investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Accountability must be fixed, salaries of delinquent officials stopped, and strict action taken against those responsible to safeguard the public from this man-made crisis.
The residents of Channi Himmat earnestly hope that highlighting this issue through your newspaper will compel the authorities to act responsibly and restore a dignified living environment.
Advocate V. K. Grover
President
Channi Himmat Housing Colony Association
Jammu