Officials say five water schemes hit, blame prolonged dry spell, low snowfall; water tankers sent to worst-hit villages
Umaisar Gull Ganie
Kulgam, Jan 17 :
A prolonged dry spell in Kashmir has pushed several major water bodies to critically low levels, with the Veshow Nallah—a key tributary of the River Jhelum—completely drying up in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Locals told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that not a single drop of water is visible in the nallah, which serves as a vital source of drinking water and irrigation for several villages.
The unprecedented situation has resulted in acute water scarcity in areas heavily dependent on the nallah for daily needs.
Officials attributed the alarming situation to scant rainfall, reduced snowfall this winter, and freezing of pipelines, which have together depleted surface and groundwater sources across the district.
Ghulam Rasool, an elderly resident of Pranhal village, said the complete drying up of Veshow Nallah has never been witnessed before. “We have faced droughts and cold waves in the past, but this is something entirely new,” he said.
He said the entire agricultural cycle of the area depends on the nallah.
“Veshow Nallah is the lifeline of several villages in Kulgam. Today, even drinking water has become a concern. Its drying up is a serious warning sign,” he added.
Executive Engineer, Jal Shakti (Division Kulgam), Er Ishfaq Hamid Wani, told KNO that nearly five drinking water schemes have been affected due to the drying up of the Veshow Nallah, with freezing of pipelines further aggravating the situation.
He said the department is closely monitoring the situation and has initiated measures to mitigate the impact of the ongoing dry spell.
“Water tankers are being deployed to supply drinking water to the worst-affected villages,” he said, adding that efforts are underway to stabilize the water supply until weather conditions improve—(KNO)