Uri, July5 : Residents of Bandi and Lagama villages in the Uri subdivision of north Kashmir's Baramulla district have been grappling with an acute drinking water shortage for the past two months after the main water supply pipeline was allegedly damaged during road construction work.

Residents said the disruption has left the water supply highly irregular, causing severe inconvenience during the ongoing summer season. They alleged that women are being forced to walk several kilometres every day to fetch drinking water from a nearby nallah as household taps have largely remained dry.
"We have been suffering for the last two months. In this scorching heat, women have no option but to carry water from distant sources," residents said urging the authorities to restore the supply without further delay.
When contacted, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Jal Shakti Department, Uri, Suhail Ahmad, told GNS the pipeline supplying drinking water to Bandi and Lagama was damaged during the construction of the Bilalabad-Saidpora road being executed by the PMGSY Department.
He said the Jal Shakti Department has repeatedly taken up the matter with the PMGSY authorities over the past two months, seeking temporary restoration of the damaged pipeline at the risk and cost of the contractor.
"I have made several communications to the AEE, PMGSY, requesting immediate restoration of the damaged pipeline, but no action has been taken so far," the official said.
The AEE further stated that the department has already submitted a detailed estimate of the damaged pipeline to the concerned authorities for approval.
"Despite submitting the estimate, the required action is still awaited. We are making every possible effort to restore the water supply to the affected villages at the earliest," he added.
Meanwhile, AEE PMGSY Uri, Ghulam Mustafa, confirmed that the department has received the damage estimate from the Jal Shakti Department. He said the proposal is expected to receive approval from the competent authorities within the next two to three days, following which restoration work is likely to commence.
The affected residents have appealed to the district administration to intervene and expedite the approval and restoration process to ensure the early resumption of potable water supply to Bandi and Lagama villages.