| PHE fails to provide safe drinking water to Ramban | | Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink | | Tahir Mushtaq
Early Times Report
RAMBAN, Nov 1: Despite tall claims of the government about providing safe drinking water to people living in far-flung areas of the state, there are a number of areas which are still deprived of portable drinking water.
On papers, there are many schemes launched by both the centre as well as state government to make the peoples' life more comfortable. But the babus at the helm forget to serve the people.
For example, people of lower Maitra of Ramban town are suffering in the absence of safe drinking water from the past more than one month. Shockingly, there is only one water tap for about 100 families, which too is not functioning properly, hence adding to the woes of the residents.
People allege that the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department is not taking any concrete step to end their miseries. "Many times we approached the officials, but there is no positive response. We are forced to cover a distance of 2 to 3 kilometer to fetch drinking water," the residents said.
They said the authorities are aware that many people have fallen ill due to contaminated drinking water, but still they have failed to supply safe drinking water.
"It is very unfortunate that even after getting the status of district, Ramban sans drinking water," said Vishav Band Sharma, a local.
When contacted Executive Engineer PHE Ramban, Hemesh Manchanda said that due to meager rainfall, 40 percent of the natural water sources have dried up, affecting the water supply.
"Not only in Ramban town but in Banihal and Gool the department is facing the same problem," he said.
He disclosed that ward 6 and 7 will get filter water supply from the filtration plant located near district headquarter for which work is going on and will be completed within one month. |
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