𝐊𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

Handwara, May 25: Despite government claims of providing drinking water to every household in Kashmir, residents of Muqam Yahama village in North Kashmir’s Handwara area continue to face a severe water shortage.

Villagers say they have endured this hardship for years without any solution in sight.

“There is only one tap in our village, and it barely gives a drop of water,” said local resident Manzoor Ahmad. “It takes hours to fill just one bucket. Women have to struggle to get even that little water.”

Due to the lack of proper water supply, villagers are forced to travel over a kilometre into a nearby forest to collect water.

“It’s very dangerous,” said Shakeela Begum. “We fear wild animals. In winter, the slippery path makes it even worse. Many women have been hurt while climbing the mountain to fetch water.”

Fifty-year-old Saja Begum said the task takes almost an entire day. “We are poor people, and no one listens to our pleas. We have been asking for help for years,” she said. “During elections, leaders come with promises, but once voting ends, they forget us.”

Another villager, Nazir Ahmad, remarked, “We still live like it’s old times—no water, no proper roads, nothing at all.”

Locals feel neglected due to the lack of basic facilities. “The world has advanced, but we are still struggling for essentials. We have no drinking water and no roads,” said Firdousa Begum.

“There’s a school here with over 100 students who also suffer due to the water crisis,” added Shakeela Begum. “Our entire focus is on fetching water. We are poor and no one helps us.”

The villagers have repeatedly tried to contact officials. “We even tried reaching the Executive Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department, but he did not respond,” said a local.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Handwara, Javid Masood, told Rising Kashmir that he would look into the issue but gave no further details.

“We don’t want grand promises,” said Shakeela Begum. “We just want drinking water. That’s all.”