In times of Covid, water supply to Doda village cut
Tribune News Service
Doda, March 21
As the coronavirus is spreading fast and doctors are advising precautions such as frequent hand washing, residents of the Ugaad panchayat in Doda district have been without drinking water for weeks.
The people of the Ugaad panchayat in the Dali-Udyanpur block have alleged that the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department had snapped their water supply.
They alleged that the entire Dali-Udyanpur block was facing a shortage of water but the PHE officials concerned were indifferent towards them.
Residents said they had to fetch water from a stream and or go to other areas to get water.
“We were managing the affairs and were fetching water from a stream and other areas. But since the coronavirus scare has increased and doctors are advising frequent washing of hands, we are facing a lot of difficulties as there is no water supply,” said Muhammad Shafi, sarpanch of the Ugaad panchayat.
“We have approached the higher authorities and urged them to resolve the issue but the water supply has not been restored to the area and the taps are dry in the whole block,” he said.
He said as the administration had imposed Section 144, they were not even able to protest on roads.
“Even officials are not allowing us to visit the offices as the congregation of people has also been suspended due to the threat,” Shafi said.
The residents have sought the intervention of Lieutenant-Governor GC Murmu so that their drinking water problem is solved at the earliest.
