Thirsty for relief Fagu residents struggle with erratic water supply

Residents of Fagu, a small tourist destination near Kufri, along with several neighbouring villages, have been receiving water supply once every 15 days for over a year, with no seasonal relief. Whether it is the peak of summer, severe winter or monsoon, the Jal Shakti Vibhag’s (JSW) erratic schedule remains unchanged, leaving locals exasperated.

“We are fed up with this continuous water shortage. How is it that there’s never enough water throughout the year to give us supply at least once in two or three days?” said an angry shopkeeper in the main market.

Another resident said they hesitate to invite guests home due to the acute scarcity, while others rely on tankers just once or twice a month. “The situation is extremely bad. We make sure not a drop is wasted because we don’t know when water will come again,” he added.

The crisis extends to surrounding villages, where natural springs have dried up over the years, leaving the population fully dependent on water schemes. Those owning livestock are the worst hit. “When there’s barely enough for household use, sparing water for cattle becomes almost impossible,” said Rajesh Verma, a local resident. The water scheme serving the region, Galu Khurd, is outsourced, with the contractor’s staff handling pumping and distribution.

Acknowledging the long gaps in supply, Vinod Kumar, Executive Engineer, Jal Shakti Vibhag, said rapid urbanisation has overwhelmed the scheme, which was originally designed for a much smaller population. “This scheme caters to a very large area. We are working on another water scheme to reduce the load. We expect to start supplying water through it by February,” he said.

Over the past decade, the region has seen a sharp rise in hotels and homestays. Locals allege that water is being preferentially diverted to these commercial establishments while villagers wait 15 days or more for their turn. “We keep a check on how water is distributed, but we will look into it if there are complaints,” the executive engineer added.