EDITORIALWith souring temperatures making people sweat, several parts of the Kashmir Valley are facing acute shortage of pure drinking water. Nature has bestowed the Valley lavishly with abundant water resources which have immense potential to change the life-standard of the inhabitants provided they are exploited judiciously. However, what meets the eye is a soaring picture that if not rectified could lead to an entirely different conclusion which is contrary to the availability of water. Several areas in Valley are craving for pure, clean and fresh drinking water. Not only in the countryside, but even in the capital city Srinagar people of several areas are faced with acute shortage of drinking water. And what caps their miseries is that the promises made by authorities to them have failed to bring about any change on the ground. The new pipelines that were supposed to emanate from some major water supply plants to eastern, central and western parts of the city bear ample witness to this.
It is ironical that not too far in the past, Kashmir had the largest fresh water lake in the shape of Wullar. But unfortunately, one cannot even dare to wash hands in it today for its sheer pollution. The rivers that contained crystal clear waters not long back have turned into flowing maladies smelling stench to an extent that if someone is exposed to their water for some time, the person surely catches bed in a hospital. Small streams and brooks in the countryside have been encroached upon so much so that there are only their names around with no trace of a stream or brook. When natural supply system of water meets such fate, all eyes set on the government for provision of drinking water!
Least attention is being paid to the quality of water provided to the people for consumption. The sources of water are cleansed rarely and that is why taps sometimes spew worms to the frightful amazement of the consumers. Government must make sure that in a water-rich state, public must be fed with pure and non-polluted water, at least for drinking purposes. The perennial springs that dot Kashmir valley, must be harnessed to the maximum extent so that the pure water they gush out reach to the people without getting adulterated due to unclean pipes and other means of supply. Reservoirs constructed for storage of drinking water must be disinfected every time fresh water is pumped into them.
