Contaminated drinking water supply triggers protest in Jammu’s locality

Jammu Tawi, April 14: Protest sparked on Sunday in one of the localities here due to supply of contaminated tap water amidst slogans against the Jal Shakti Department (formerly Public Health Engineering).

Shouting slogans, the residents of New Company Bagh, Old University Campus Lane including women, staged protest alleging contaminated water supply for the last one-month in view of the ongoing repair and construction work of drain (nallah) opposite Indian Institute Management (IIM) Campus office lane.

Fearing spread of water-borne diseases if no prompt action is taken, the protestors alleged that the water pipes have damaged because of the ongoing repair work of the nallah, adding, “for the last more than one-month, contaminated water from the drain is supplying to the households of the locality but the Jal Shakti Department has turned deaf ears to the several requisitions and appeals made by the residents.”

“Are they (Jal Shakti Department) waiting for any tragedy to happen? We are forced to consume stinky drain water, which has unsafe levels of germs or chemicals and may lead to spread of water-borne diseases,” they said.

The protestors have once again requested the concerned department to immediately resolve the matter before it is too late and also appealed to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to issue directions from the chair for early redressal to the grievance.

“Our lives are at risk and it is high time the Jal Shakti Department must take action to make clean water supply available to the residents at the earliest,” they said.