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| Drinking water availability presents dismal picture in J&K | | | If the latest census details are to be relied on the Jammu and Kashmir state presents a dismal picture of availability of tap water for the people. The official figures reveal that not more than 34.7 per cent of the state's total population get treated tap water,about 29 per cent people get tap water from untreated sources. And the remaining population bank on water from wells, hand pumps, lakes, pools and springs. Thus not more than 64 per cent get tap water which includes 29 per cent of those who receive tap water from untreated sources.According to the survey 48 per cent people have tap water within their residential premises,28 per cent bank on taps within their vicinities and 23 per cent have to walk long distances for fetching drinking water from the taps.This is really a sad story when Jammu and Kashmir state abounds in lakes, springs, rivers, runnels. It is a state where two and half regions out of three provinces witness heavy rain and snow. Against this in the neighbouring Punjab and Haryana st ates,where there is no major lakes and rivers, over 60 per cent people get tap water.
One report says that tap water supplied to people in Jammu and Kashmir is not fully treated forcing the affluent section of the society to bank on bottled water or mineral water for quenching their thirst.What is sad and sickening is the way chemicals meant for treatment of drinking water are not beig used properly and invariably these very chemicals are pilfered for earning a fortune. Another report says that most of the filtration plants in the state have outlived their utility and at times river or lake or canal water is supplied to people without being treated at drinking water supply plants. Experts are of the opinion that if the Government initiates measures for tapping river, lake, canal, well and spring water people in the state may not have to depend on untrea-ted water. Consumption of wateer from polluted lakes, canals, rivers a nd from taps supplying untreated water has given rise to series of water borne diseases. Medical experts are of the opinion that the percentage of people in Jammu and Kashmir suffering from various abdominal disorders, including liver and kidney ailments,are the result of consumption of untreated water.
In fact over the years drinking wateer supply schemes have not received as much attention as other projects have received. Majority of people in the Jammu region, including the state's winter capital,draw a meagre share from the tap water resources for one reason or the other.The problem in the region,including the city of Jammu, gets aggravated during the summer season. Not a day passes when water tankers are seen supplying drinking water for which people hav to pay through their nose. At times drinking water shortage is compounded by nonavailability of electricity and on other occsasions the pump sets and treatment or filtration plants become nonfunctional as a result of some mechanical fault.And the Government does not seem to bother for pressing into service some alternate ar rangement as there is none available. Government reports indicate that the successive state Govrn-ments have been waiting for the central financial assistance needed to implement number of drinking water supply projects. The stat Government does not seem to be in a hurry to press for financial assistance from the centre for the schemes because it is in a hurry to raise the monthly salary and emoluments of ministers and legislators which it has done causing heavy burden on the state exchequer. Hence may available adequate funds for implementing new drinking water schemes not only in urban but in rural areas too. |
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