Srinagar, Aug 15: Residents of Muzzaffarbad in Pakistan-administered- Kashmir are protesting against Pakistani authorities accusing them of depriving them of water, reported ANI.
A video has come to light which reveals that Pakistan has declared a “water war” on the people of Muzaffarabad by diverting the water to Punjab province.
Protests are taking place all across the city against Islamabad’s move, with locals alleging that an elaborate scheme is diverting the flow of fresh water from the mountains to Punjab, while the locals are left with only sewage waste, silt and sand.
This process has dried up the river Neelam even during the ongoing monsoon season, locals allege.
“We can live without electricity, but not without water. We are feeling heat because of rise in temperature,” ANI quoted as resident as saying.
They say the construction of the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project has only aggravated the matter. The trial run for the project began in April this year which will divert water from the Neelum river to a powerhouse on the Jhelum river located in PaK.
Another local resident rebuked the hydropower project saying that what will the residents get in return from this construction?
The government will earn Rs 50 billion but the people are paying are hefty price for this. “Instead of providing free electricity to us, they have been charging four-times higher bills from us. We are demanding free electricity in Muzaffarabad and rest of Azad Kashmir,” he said.
Water from even the catchment areas has been diverted to Punjab which is claimed to be Pakistan’s favoured province.
The citizens of Muzaffarabad really have no water supply and are faced with the challenge of a “water war”. They say they will launch a movement to conserve water for the future generations if the politicians and governments do not find an immediate solution.
