Jal shakti Deptt in shambles: People collecting rain water in villages, towns to quench their thirst: Harsh Dev

Alleging collapse of PHE deptt now rechristened as Jal Shakti Deptt, a large number of people led by Harsh Dev Singh, former minister and AAP leader held a massive protest outside Chief Engineer’s Office today against the drinking water crises faced by the people particularly in the rural areas. The protestors raised slogans against the present dispensation, Jal Shakti Deptt and BJP govt for their failure to provide drinking water to the people even after 75 years of India’s Independence. They later submitted a memorandum to Chief Engineer seeking immediate action for restoration of defunct water supply schemes and provision of new connections to uncovered household in consonance with the repeated slogans of PM and HM of ‘Har Ghar Nal’ scheme which is often parroted by the Central BJP Ministers as well.

Pointing towards the acute drinking problems in several villages of District Udhampur, particularly those of Chenani Constituency, Mr Harsh Dev Singh said that people of several villages and even towns were forced to collect rain water in earthen pots and utencils so as to quench their thirst in view of their total disregard by Jal shakti deptt. Worst affected villages included Mada, Champeri, Drounthal, Kalori, Matlowa, Chulyar, Sarsoo, Barmeen, Larh, Nala Ghorran, Sulghar, Mani, Satyalta, Dhandhal etc where in the people were often forced to drink highly impure water from ponds or they had to travel several kms to fetch water from nallahs and rivers. He said that the recent rains and floods had washed away whatever little pipes had been laid in other villages with the deptt officers having failed to even pay a visit to affected areas thereby sparking massive outrage. He said that the people’s request for water connections or repairs and maintenance of damaged water supply lines were straight away refused and brushed off by taking the plea of non availability of any grants under any of the heads. With no scheme operationalised and no repairs or existing schemes effected by the deptt, Mr Singh questioned as to where the normal plan funds under district sector, state sector, LIC grants, NABARD, NRDWSP and other routine schemes had been utilized during the last few years. He said that the govt was constantly harping on launch of ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ since 2017 but not a single WSS scheme had been launched in district Udhampur till date thereby making a mockery of itself.

Prominent amongst those who joined the protest included Rajesh Padgotra, Gagan Pratap Singh, Raj Mohd Salaria, Karan Attri, Shankaar Singh Sanju besides others.