Amid scorching heat, many residential areas of Srinagar and other districts of the Valley have been complaining of acute water scarcity while as the government on Monday stated that breaches at Ranguil open canal and COVID outbreak are among the main reasons behind reduction in water supply to the residents.Inhabitants of several areas especially those hailing from Srinagar City areas including Chattabal, Habba Kadal, Fateh Kadal, Lal Chowk, Batamaloo, Khanyar and others told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that they have been facing acute water scarcity from two weeks.They said amid scorching heat, the concerned department is depriving them of basic facility, thus leaving them to lurch at large. The residents added that the department is forcing them to hit the streets to press for their demands.“It is not for the first time that the Srinagar residents are facing acute water scarcity during the summer season, but such a situation has been witnessed in the past as well,” Nazir Ahmad, a local resident from Chattabal said.Meanwhile, Chief Engineer of Jal Shakti Department (Public Health Engineering PHE), Abdul Wahid told KNO that there is no shortage of water in the plants, adding that the department has stocked adequate water in the plants.However, he said that the main reasons behind the shortage in water supply to the people are the breach in Ranguil open canal and COVID. “Due to the breach in Ranguil open canal, we (department) are supplying our stocked water to the irrigation as well,” he said, adding that this is one among the main reasons that people are complaining of shortage of water.“Although there is no shortage in supply, but the quantity has got reduced,” he said, adding that the PHE department is doing its best to ensure the people will not suffer—(KNO)