The Kashmir Dialogues
Locals Demand Hygienic Water; DC Say Situation is Being Monitored
Srinagar, Jan 27, KDC: More than two dozen villagers have fallen ill after reportedly consuming ‘contaminated water’ in Gutligund village of Verinag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, while the authorities have begun monitoring the situation.
Locals told the Srinagar-based news agency Kashmir Dot Com that people have fallen ill due to the unhygienic conditions of the water reservoir, which is the main source of drinking water in the area.
They claimed that contaminated water has led to the outbreak of an unknown disease, which has affected more than two dozen people.
The villagers, visibly distressed by the situation, gathered in large numbers to protest the authorities’ inaction regarding the worsening public health crisis. While protesting they demanded that they be provided with safe, clean, and hygienic drinking water.
“We have been living with this problem for years, but it has never been this severe. The water is clearly contaminated, and we are suffering as a result. We need clean water, and we need it now,” said one of the protesting villagers, Mohammad Yousuf.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid when contacted, told Kashmir Dot Com that the administration is closely monitoring the situation.
“We have collected samples from the area and sent them for testing. The results are expected soon. We are closely monitoring the situation, and there is no need for people to panic,” he added. (KDC)
