Aazan Manzoor
Srinagar, Jan 22: The Chief Engineer Jal Shakti Kashmir on wednesday said that department worked efficiently to manage water supply despite low water levels, using judicious methods with public cooperation.
Chief Engineer Jal Shakti department Kashmir, Braham Jyoti Sharma, while speaking to JKNS, said, “Water level is currently low. This is routine during winters. Their is no need to panic. As the summer begins and snow melts, the water level will automatically increase.”
Braham Sharma said, “As per today’s scenario, this year witnessed an acute dry spell. Rainfall during summer was very low, and snowfall last year was also minimal. As a result, the water level in rivers and streams decreased, and the groundwater table also declined. This caused challenges in maintaining water supply, whether for drinking or irrigation purposes. However, with the cooperation of the public and the efforts of our staff, we managed the situation using judicious methods.”
“We were concerned about low snowfall this year as well, but by the grace of God, snowfall has occurred, and we hope it will continue till March. We must pray to God for good snowfall, as human prayers hold great power,” he said.
Regarding the “Har Ghar Nal” scheme, Sharma said, “All schemes are near completion. The main focus is on Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTC), and currently, 88% are operational. Some delays occurred due to electromechanical components like pumping machinery, as reputed firms across the country faced high workloads due to the Jal Jeevan Mission. Now, with reduced workloads, deliveries have resumed. We expect the work to be completed by March this year, Sharma said.”
For public assistance, he mentioned the helpline numbers for the central-level provincial control room at Water Works Division Srinagar: 0194-2452047 and 0194-2477207, he added. (JKNS)
