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| From fighting flames to fighting thirst: Fire tenders to be deployed to supply water in congested areas | | | Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 30: As Jammu city and its adjoining localities reel under an unprecedented drinking water crisis triggered by devastating floods that uprooted major supply pipelines, authorities have decided to press fire tenders into service to ensure water reaches residents in several parts of the city.
The move comes amid mounting public distress, with officials citing two main challenges: the shortage of water tankers and the inability to deploy them in congested localities with narrow lanes.
Essential services across Jammu suffered a severe blow after torrential rains and flash floods ravaged infrastructure earlier this week. Large stretches of Old Jammu City and neighborhoods along the Tawi riverbanks remain without basic facilities, facing prolonged power and water outages. Communication networks were also crippled, though restoration work was underway on Saturday with officials prioritizing the repair of lifeline services.
Four days after the deluge, vast areas remain waterlogged, while residents continue to grapple with acute shortages of drinking water, electricity, food supplies, and medicines.
The floods damaged several power transformers, plunging entire localities into darkness. With electricity still to be restored in many neighborhoods, families are unable to run basic appliances or even charge their phones to reach relatives. The absence of power has also crippled pumping stations, aggravating the drinking water crisis.
In Sheetli, where the city’s main water filtration plant is located, residents urged authorities to accelerate repairs, warning that many localities have not received a drop of potable water since the floods struck. Left with no alternative, people are resorting to unsafe sources. They have appealed for urgent deployment of tankers and fire tenders until supply pipelines are restored.
To address the crisis, Jal Shakti Minister Javed Ahmed Rana convened a high-level review meeting with legislators, senior officers, and district heads to assess restoration measures and expedite relief.
The meeting was attended by DDC Chairperson Bharat Bhushan, legislators Ch. Vikram Randhawa, Arvind Gupta, Sham Lal Sharma, Dr. Narinder Singh, Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Commissioner JMC, and senior engineers from Jal Shakti, Irrigation & Flood Control, and UEED.
Officials briefed the Minister on progress made and hurdles faced in resuming water supply. Rana stressed that restoring drinking water facilities in flood-affected areas was the government’s top priority. He directed the immediate deployment of available tankers and instructed that private tankers be hired on an interim basis. Fire tenders, he said, must be mobilized in inaccessible areas to ensure uninterrupted supply.
To speed up operations, Rana ordered the appointment of a nodal officer to coordinate restoration works across departments. The Chief Engineer was tasked with distributing manpower rationally and overseeing completion on a war footing.
Legislators flagged constituency-specific grievances, pressing for faster relief. Rana assured them that their concerns were being addressed, adding that a range of measures were already in motion.
Officials informed that restoration of the Water Supply Scheme at Shitlee was being carried out in double shifts and would be completed within five days. The Power Development Department was instructed to urgently revive feeder lines critical for pumping stations.
The UEED, working alongside the Flood Control Department and local MLAs, has been tasked with drafting a long-term master plan for nallas (drains) and flood-damaged infrastructure to strengthen systems against future disruptions. |
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