Srinagar- In an effort to prevent the misuse of portable water and guarantee its legitimate usage, the Jal Shakti Department confiscated illegal water motors and hundreds of meters of rubber pipes from erring consumers in several pockets of the city on Thursday.
The seizures, according to Jal Shakti Department officials, were made during raids on domestic and commercial users, who were accused of retrieving portable water using hydraulic pumps that continually transfer large amounts of water amidst scarcity.
Around 12 hydraulic pumps and hundreds of meters of rubber pipes were confiscated during raids conducted by the department in various pockets of the city including Muminabad Lane 14 and 18, Firdousabad Lane 14 and 15, Tengpora Bypass and Muminabad Lane 2 and 3.
The drive was launched under the supervision of Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Sub-Division 3rd, Balgarden.
Authorities issued a strong warning to customers, asking them to desist from using hydraulic pumps to get portable water since their activities cause others to become envious of a drop of water in the sweltering heat.
The government will continue to crack down on erring consumers, and those who are caught wasting potable water will face legal consequences.
Talking to Kashmir Observer, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) Sub-Division 3rd, Balgarden Suhaib Yusuf said the raids were aimed at curbing misuse of portable water and ensuring that everyone had equitable access to drinking water.
“The drive was launched to prevent misuse of portable water, illegal connections and direct boosting of water supply using hydraulic water motors in Tengpora, Muminabad, Afreen Colony and adjoining areas of Batamalloo,” said Yusuf.
He urged the customers to pay up all of their outstanding debts in the next few days, failing which they would face harsh legal consequences and have their connections cut off without any warning.
Will Act Tough Against Illegal Connections
Amidst the water scarcity issues in several Srinagar areas and other parts of Kashmir, the Public Health Engineering (PHE) authorities Kashmir on Thursday said that a crackdown will be intensified to regularize the “illegal” water supply connection, terming “non judicious” use of water as one of the primary reasons for the water scarcity in Kashmir.
Vivek Kohli, Chief Engineer, PHE Kashmir, while speaking to KNO said the department will regularize all “unregistered” water connections and disconnect those that fail to comply.
“Our department is duty-bound to provide water supply to all registered consumers. However, those with illegal connections will have their supply cut off unless they regularize their connections,” the Chief Engineer said.
Highlighting the misuse of drinking water, he pointed out that people often use it for irrigating kitchen gardens, parks, orchards, and for washing cars, exacerbating the scarcity.
“All our water treatment plants are operating at full capacity, with no shortfall in generation. The demand in and around Srinagar is being met, but the rising temperatures have increased the demand,” he added.
The Chief Engineer urged people to use water judiciously and warned that illegal connections disrupt the supply for legitimate consumers.
Notably, since the past few days, Srinagar and other parts of the valley have been facing water scarcity issues, with many areas in Srinagar protesting and demanding adequate supply of drinking water.
CE PHE Kashmir added that the intensified drive aims to ensure equitable water distribution and mitigate the ongoing water crisis, urging people to register their water connections to avoid disconnection and contribute to the efficient use of water resources.
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