Srinagar, Jul 03 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday deployed 10 new water tankers to ease the crisis during Muharram — a move that comes amid rising public complaints.
According to the details collected by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with Jal Shakti Minister Javed Rana and Advisor Nasir Sogami, flagged off the tankers in Srinagar under the Jal Shakti Department’s contingency plan to tackle demand surges caused by the ongoing heatwave and religious gatherings.
Similarly, the deployment comes after the news agency—Kashmir News Observer’s (KNO) continuous coverage, highlighting worsening water shortages in the Valley.
In yesterday’s report, Jal Shakti Chief Engineer Er Taj Mohammad Chowdhary was quoted as confirming that tenders for additional tankers had already been completed in anticipation of prolonged dry spells. “We are prepared for contingencies,” Chowdhary had said.
Notably, the first batch of tankers has been deployed across Srinagar, Budgam and other priority areas hosting Muharram processions, many of which have been struggling with erratic supply for days.
Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Zaina Kadal, Srinagar, said it is not just inconvenient, but it is unfair that they have been storing water in buckets every morning. He said the supply lasts barely 20 to 30 minutes.
The Jal Shakti Department maintains that infrastructure is running at full capacity, excessive demand and misuse have pushed the system into what officials describe as a “stressed but functional” state—(KNO)