Drinking to Death?

Adil (name changed), 22, had a fever for two weeks and took paracetamol. But the fever didn’t subside. Anxious, his parents consulted a doctor in their locality of Awantipora, who prescribed medical examinations and blood reports. These confirmed that Adil had jaundice—a waterborne disease. Three months later, Adil is still on medication because he was not diagnosed early enough; and his doctor has suggested he remain under observation for about a year.

In Awantipora, reservoir tanks store water from the Jehlum, supplied to the entire town of Awantipora without any filtration whatsoever. And residents are facing the consequences.

Naseema, a resident of Kumar mohalla says, “The water they provide us is no better than urine and we boil that urine as we do not has any other option rather than to drink that water.”

People of this town receive water in the morning for only one hour, and the next time they see water flowing from their taps is after 24 hours. Sometimes, there is no water supply at all for two consecutive days. “In that one hour we fill up our all tanks which we use for washing, cleaning and bathing,” says another resident, Shameema. “People can’t imagine the pathetic conditions we are living in. No one can keep their houses clean as we don’t get a sufficient water supply,” she adds.

Doctors in Awantipora observe that initially, residents would drink tap water without boiling it, but gradually people realized that there was an increase in the number of complaints related to stomach aches and intestinal infections—leading them to conclude that they were being supplied untreated water.

Ahmadullah Dar, a resident says, “I do not even trust the tube well water now because so far no one, not even government, has ever tested the water.” Ahmadullah has un-controlled thyroid problem which he believes he acquired from unsafe, untreated drinking water.

Economic indicators reveal that most residents of this town live below the poverty line, and therefore can’t afford to boil their water. Mohammad Shaban Kumar, a stone cutter says, “They provided us with six tube wells for drinking purposes, but among them only four tube wells are working. We too had one in our Mohalla, but that used to give black water first and then it stopped giving that black water too. Presently our women have to go to another mohalla from where they get water for drinking at least, and there they have to wait for their turn in a line of 15 or 20 women.”

The filtration plant which was planned to be setup before 2008, is still in the process of being set up, according to officials. Manzoor Ahmad, JE Civil Division, PHE Awantipora, says it is going to take five or six more months to complete the process of ‘civil construction and allotments’ and after that, they can’t say how long it would take to complete the project—which is assumed to provide 1MGD (million gallons/day) water. more