Residents of Batamaloo area protest water scarcity
Srinagar, June 1: Residents of Darooni Mohalla at Batamaloo blocked main road near Moominabad leaving hundreds of small and big vehicles stranded for nearly five hours since morning at 9 am to protest acute water shortage in the area.
Protesters, mainly women, holding sticks in their hands sat on a dharna at the main road near Moominabad area barely half kilometer from district court complex. They said the area for the past more than three months is without water while as the authorities despite repeated pleas to restore water supply have failed to take any tangible step in this regard.
Hundreds of people including senior judges, practicing lawyers and other government and private employees were stuck on road for hours together who finally took alternative routes to reach to their respective destinations.
“I am a lawyer by profession, my car is stuck here for past three hours as the people have blocked main road against water shortage,” said Saim Jan a senior lawyer.
The protesters’ said the PHE department has taken them for a ride thus leaving no option for them to block the road.
“Holy month of Ramazan is on but the area is without drinking water for the past three months. The representatives of this area met the higher officials many a times but to no avail. So holding dharna was the only option left to press for our demands,” said a masked women holding bamboo stick in her hand.
Meanwhile the protesters’ dispersed off after the representatives of the area met higher-ups who assured them that the issue will be resolved till evening.
