Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink

Many in Ramban don't have access to drinking water

Tahir Mushtaq

RAMBAN, Mar 21: Notwithstanding the tall claims of the state government and concerned authorities to provide basic facilities to the people at their door step, around 3000 people of Ramban are still without drinking water facilities.

Every year the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department of the state government celebrate World Water Day on 22 March, but fails to provide clean drinking water to thousands of people.

According to sources, the concerned department had projected a plan of installation of a filtration plant for Ramban tehsil in 1977, but after the lapse of 39 year they are unable to do so putting the lives of thousands of people at stake.

Officials further said that the department had planned to cover the Ramban town in phase 1 while in second phase, area of Maitra and Government Degree College Ramban were to be covered for which department approved Rs 3.98 crore and Rs 1019.60 lacs respectively.

Officials added that for installation of filtration plant the department has issued the tenders five times but didn't get any response, due to with the work of filtration plant is still pending.

As the summer season is approaching, it would add to the troubles of school going children as around 240 government primary schools of district Ramban are without clean drinking water.

When contacted Executive Engineer (XEn) PHE Ramban, Hamesh Manchanda said Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Company (JKPCC) has just take-up the work of installation of filtration plant after the board meeting in July and if the work goes smoothly it will take nine months to complete it.

He further said that the total estimated construction cost for the filtration plant is Rs 95 lacs while cost of the approach road the is Rs 55 lacs.