Trekking for water the norm in Jammu region

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Mandi Kheri (Samba), May 4

It is 11:30 am. The sun is blazing at Mandi Kheri village in Samba district, some 35 km south of Jammu. Near an old tubewell, a group of women are filling plastic jars and buckets to take water home.

Most of them cover a distance of half a kilometre daily to reach the spot as drought and the falling water table has left only a few tube wells functional, which are the means for the populace to quench their thirst.

The simmering drinking water crisis, a routine problem in a majority of areas in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts, is exposing caste fissures and religious differences.

People struggle to get their share of water from the declining sources as the government has miserably failed to come up with a long-term plan to judiciously use this natural resource.

In village after village, especially in the kandi belt of the state, traditional ponds, wells and seasonal rivulets have dried up, leading to discontent among the populace, which at times has turned violent.

“It is our routine as we take two or three rounds daily to fetch water from the only functional well in the village. No tanker has been provided by the administration as political affiliation is the criterion for getting a water tanker,” said Renu Devi.

She is a part of the group on the second trip to carry water home. She usually starts her day at 6 am to reach the tube well. By 12 noon, she has made three trips.

Water bodies, bore wells and agricultural wells have become dumping grounds for solid waste as below-normal monsoon and dry winter have adversely affected the water cycle. Once associated with village deities, traditional ponds have vanished.

Till a few decades ago, hundreds of ponds and ditches all over Jammu constituted an important water buffer, particularly during summer. In the past two decades, the changing weather pattern and over-exploitation had destroyed the water bodies. Private operators charge between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 for a 6,000-litre tanker, giving rise to a ‘water mafia’ making every effort to create a monopoly over distribution.

In small towns across the Jammu region, there is a risk of contamination. A majority of wells and facilities arranged by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department are improperly maintained to due to limited financial resources. Mismanagement has deepened the crisis.

PHE Chief Engineer RK Gandotra said summer months caused problems in distribution of water, but efforts were being made to streamline the system.

“We employ tankers to reach out to people during summer. More schemes are being prepared to utilise our resources better,” he said.

The PHE Department has submitted a report to the government that it will not be able to meet future needs of the region. People are already dependent on tankers to meet their requirements.