Handwara: The Irrigation and Flood control division (I&FC) department has accused the Jal Shakhti (Water) department in north Kashmir’s Handwara of executing a scheme allegedly in violation of the set norms.
Officials said the executing agency has not sought any non-objection certificate from the department and has laid down the water supply pipe via a Nallah of their own.
The executive engineer of the Irrigation and Flood Control division, Handwara, Masood Ahmed Wani said the Jal Shakhti department has illegally laid down the pipes in Dhukhaim Canal without taking any consent or NOC from the department.
"We have asked the department to stop the work with immediate effect and remove the already laid pipes from the Canal", the official said.
The locals, however, complained of the department has kept the pipes naked, which is causing inconvenience to them.
"There is every possibility of the laid pipes getting damaged as they have been left naked", they said, while urging the department to lay the pipes underground.
Meanwhile, upon contacting the official at the Jal Shakhti department, Handwara, he said that the step was taken to avoid the funds getting lapse, however, they have applied for permission from the departments.
Asked about the already laid pipes in Dukhaim Canal, he said that they will shift the pipes, and they will ensure that people would not face any inconvenience.
Meanwhile, Afrooza, a ward member of ward 05 claims that the funds of his ward were diverted to others despite the department’s knowledge that people of the area are suffering immensely due to water scarcity.
Notably, the department of Jal Shakhti has been laying the water supply pipes at Kohru village in Langate under the PRI funds, an estimated cost of around Rs 24.Lakhs.
(KNO)
