Tral: Three years on, Nagbal-Bagandar water supply scheme awaits completion

BASHARAT RASHID

Tral, 13 November: As the growing spine chill continues to disquiet people across the Kashmir valley, the water crisis has culminated in many areas, giving a tough time to the people.

The residents of Bagandar area Machama in Tral have expressed resentment against Jal Shakti (PHE) for failing to start work on a water supply scheme (Nagbal-Bagandar Scheme), which was approved in 2017.

The aggrieved residents have said that pipes were also given, to make the scheme functional, which are placed on a roadside, in the village but, work is yet to be started.

A delegation of locals rued that village is facing a shortage of water, which is the matter of grave concern, in wake of chill, ahead of winters.

They said that “had the government started the work on newly approved scheme on time, the water crisis would have been mitigated.”

Fayaz Ahmad, a resident told Arising State that there is a dire need for permanent water supply to the village and added that the approved scheme must be taken into consideration for further work.

The residents demanded immediate intervention of higher-ups, particularly of DC Pulwama, into the matter.

Meanwhile, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Jal Shakti (PHE), Suhaib Ahmad told Arising State that the scheme is being approved under fresh tender and work on the project shall be started soon.

He further said that the scheme will be made functional from Service Reservoir (SR) Nagbal Tral.

It’s pertinent to mention here that the area lacks road connectivity as well, as the road there has turned into a pathetic state, which has not been renovated.

The locals lamented that road from Machama to Zrarihar via Bagandar has developed potholes, due to which locals suffer on daily basis.

They demanded repairs and macadamization on it, at the earliest.