Srinagar: The government on Wednesday rebutted a news report titled “Don’t divert our water sources: Tral residents to Govt”, wherein it was made public that Department of Jal Shakti is diverting the one water source (spring) which could render the hundreds of kanals of agricultural and horticultural land barren in village Machama and other adjoining villages.
It has been reported that people have protested over the alleged design of the Jal Shakti Department and have appealed the Hon’ble LG Manoj Sinha and Deputy Commissioner Pulwama to direct the concerned department, which is Jal Shakti, not to tap the said spring, an official statement said.
In the rebuttal of the news item, Executive Engineer, Jal Shakti Department Division Awantipora has submitted a report vide No: PHE/AWP/7059-61, Dated: 16-02-2022, wherein it has been stated that Water Supply Scheme Brenpathri-Chanikitar was conceptualized in 2012 and after the approval in 2013 by the Government many works including 1.0 Lac Gallon SR, Spring Protection, Fitting of Raw Water Mains, and Supply mains is almost complete; besides, Rapid Stand Filtration Plant is almost 40% complete.
The Jal Shakti Department has also mentioned in the report that the Nagbal Spring has already been tapped decades ago and the Court directions passed in 1981 still stand valid.
The Department mentions that some works on the WSS Nagpathri-Chanikitar have already been withdrawn after the reconciliation with the locals. And, now the inhabitants of Machama are resisting for connecting almost complete spring protection with the SR, and have dismantled some already laid utilities.
In another report submitted by Irrigation Department, it is mentioned that a Zamindari Kohl takes off from local Nallah (Brenpathri Nallah) to provide irrigation to agricultural/horticulture land of villages Machama and Lalpora, and the supplies get further augmented from the spring at Nagbal. The department further says that in normal situations and adequate rainfall, the landholders get enough irrigation supplies for their lands, but otherwise in drought like situation the supplies remain short.
The matter has already been discussed with both the departments and it has been made sure that neither the Water Supply Schemes nor the irrigation would suffer. A middle ground would be taken to settle the issue and redress the grievance of the locals.
It would also be in the fittest of things to mention that the matter has been taken to Court by some locals, and till the outcome of the Court proceedings, deliberations would be done with all the stakeholders and an amicable solution acceptable to all would be the top priority of the administration.
