The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department has urged the people to facilitate smooth movement of water tankers of the Department for augmenting the drinking water supply.“The movement of tankers has been severely hampered in various areas as 22 tankers, deployed for augmenting water supply, have been damaged in incidents of stone-pelting during the prevailing law and order situation,” a PHE Department spokesman said.Giving details of the tankers damaged in various parts of Kashmir during the prevailing law and order situation, the spokesman said that 7 tankers have been damaged in district Srinagar, 6 in Baramulla, two each in Bandipora, Budgam and Pulwama and 1 each in Shopian, Kupwara and Kulgam. He said the Department has been forced to ground all the damaged tankers causing immense stress on its resources.He said in view of large-scale damage to the tankers, it is becoming difficult for the Department to ensure hassle-free availability of drinking water in the affected areas as the private tanker-owners have refused to make available their tankers to the Department in the prevailing situation.Seeking public cooperation in facilitating smooth movement of tankers, the spokesman said that despite facing tough situation, the PHE staff is trying its best to ensure availability of potable water to the people in every nook and corner of the Valley. “We urge the people to facilitate smooth movement of tankers in the areas which are facing water scarcity so that the residents don’t suffer for want of potable water,” he said.