PUKHARNI(RAJOURI): In Pukharni, a village near the Line of Control in Rajouri, staying alive means not just surviving unpredictable cross-border firing but desperately scrounging for potable water.
The village has no water supply. The only alternative is buying it from the market. A full tanker, holding around 4,000 litres, costs between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 and lasts a family for 4-5 days.
The people have a litany of woes to narrate. Theirs is a panchayat village, but the administration never followed up on providing the most crucial element for survival: water. The village doesn’t even have a borewell.Yasir Arafat said that about a decade ago, water pipes were laid in the village, and for a few days, water was supplied. But then the taps dried up, and “we never saw water again.”
He recalled that about 6-8 months ago, the water pipes were re-laid, and “officials assured us that now you will get a regular supply of water.” However, the taps remained dry. The villagers are as worried about their survival as about saving their livestock. Their livelihood depends on these animals.
“With no water in our tanks, we have no option but to purchase a water tanker from an adjacent village. We purchase a 4,000 litres water tanker every 4-5 days, and it costs us about Rs 1,000-Rs 2,000,” said Arafat.
They ration water for cooking, cleaning, drinking, and providing water to cattle. Buying water is a costly proposition, but they know the bottom line: “If we don’t purchase water, our animals will die of thirst,” as Arafat said.
Showket Mehmood, an ex-sarpanch of Pukharni, said that on average, a family buys 5-6 water tankers of 4,000 litres each per month for their basic needs. That sets them back Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 a month. “It’s a huge financial burden for us when we are already struggling to survive on what we produce on our farms,” they said. Anwar Hussain said the government dug borewells in the past. They served their purpose. However, “they went dry following a continuous dry spell”, he added.
L-G, CM Omar urged to look into crisis
In view of the crisis, villagers have appealed to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and MP Poonch-Anantnag Lok Sabha seat Mian Altaf to prioritise water supply for their village.