Residents of Reshipora, Kulgam Protest Against Water Shortage, Block Main Road

Danishwar Hameed 

Kulgam, July 3: Residents of Reshipora village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district staged a protest on Thursday against the acute shortage of drinking water in their locality, bringing traffic to a halt for several hours.

The protesters, comprising men, women, and elderly people, assembled on the main road and blocked it, demanding immediate action from the authorities. Chanting slogans against the Jal Shakti Department and the district administration, they accused officials of turning a blind eye to their repeated complaints.

“We have been facing water scarcity for weeks. Despite numerous pleas to the authorities, no steps have been taken to address our grievance,” said one of the protesters.

The road blockade caused significant inconvenience to commuters and disrupted normal traffic movement in the area. The demonstration prompted immediate response from local officials, with DySP Headquarters Nisar Ahmad and Tehsildar Kulgam arriving at the protest site to pacify the agitated residents.

The officials assured the demonstrators that the matter would be taken up with the concerned department on priority.

Meanwhile, Executive Engineer Jal Shakti Department, Ishfaq Ahmad, also spoke to the protesters and assured them that the water crisis would be resolved within a week. “Steps are being taken to ensure uninterrupted water supply to Reshipora,” he said.

The residents, while temporarily suspending their protest, warned of further agitation if the issue is not addressed promptly.