While hundreds of water supply schemes were taken up for execution over the years, majority of them have not been completed due to non-availability of funds forcing people to consume contaminated water.Sources told KNS that during the past one decade, the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department has taken up hundreds of water supply schemes for execution in the state. Ironically, authorities failed to complete majority of these schemes due to non-availability of funds. “Hundreds of schemes were started by the government over the years without knowing the source of funds. The contractors have stopped work on many of these schemes after government failed to clear their bills,” an official of PHE department told KNSIn Baramulla district, sources said during the last 10 years, the work on over 200 water supply schemes was started but only 30 schemes have been completed.
They said that in Budgam district’s Chadoora area, the work on around 30 schemes was started for the past five years, but the government has failed to complete these schemes owing which people fetch water from streams and other contaminated water sources.Officials sources said the worst affected of non-completion of these schemes are people from far-flung areas of Handwara, Uri, Kulgam and Gurez areas. It has been learnt that of the 1800 water supply schemes that were functioning in the Valley, 1300 schemes were damaged by the last year floods. “Government has failed to make their permanent restoration even after 10 months since the floods hit the state denying clean water to a large chunk of population,” sources said.Reports said that in some areas, water is being supplied through water tanks while in some areas people fetch water from streams and rivers without being filtered.
Minister for PHE, Sukhnandan Kumar admitted that majority of water supply schemes on which work was started over the years could not be completed due to non-availability of funds. “The previous government had started work on water supply schemes for execution without knowing the source of funds. I will ensure completion of work in due time,” the Minister told KNS.