After electricity, water crisis in Valley

Winter woes do not seem to end for the people of Kashmir. No sooner did people get slight relief from long powers cuts, people are faced with tremendous water shortage in almost all parts of the valley.The minus day and night temperatures without any sunshine have given way to persistent freezing. As the day temperatures fail to rise, no melting of snow or water bodies is taking place. The sub zero day temperatures have frozen taps and water supply pipes. This has resulted in serious water shortage in most parts of the valley. There is no water supply to homes or even offices.

“The water supply pipes to our homes are completely jammed and frozen.  We have no water supply inside the house,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, from Raj Bagh.  “I filled the tank by carrying water in buckets from lawn tap.”

The problem is grave in upper town where water supply is facilitated commonly by using water pumps.“Even though we receive water supply to the main reservoir but could not pump water into the house as water pump has jammed due to freezing temperatures,” said Naseema Begum. The main water supply pipes in some areas have also wedged.

Following snowfall across Kashmir on Saturday, the valley loomed under unrelenting minus temperatures. The maximum temperature recorded at 11.30 a.m today was minus 1.4  Celsius while minimum went down to minus 3.8 degree. There has been no relief from cold for the past six days. The ongoing chillai kalaan will be over after 18 days, on January 31.

“I have never lived a more severe winter. We not only have to deal with freezing cold but problems of water and electricity as well,” adds Naseema.

An official at the MeT department said that there is no abnormality in the weather this year. “Kashmir has experienced much lower temperatures than what we are facing. The reason why we are facing more problems is because there is no sunshine,” official revealed.

In view of the forecast of more snowfall on January 15 and 16, people are  fearful of more horrifying conditions. Valleyites are keeping a stock of essential commodities including food and milk to avoid inconveniences.