Jammu, 30 April (H.S.): Devyani Rana, MLA Nagrota, today led a road blockage to protest against the acute and escalating water crisis in the Nagrota constituency, terming it a direct consequence of administrative negligence and failure on the part of the Jal Shakti (PHE) Department.
“This is a clear case of prolonged negligence, administrative apathy, and systemic failure, which has severely disrupted the water supply and caused immense hardship to the people of Nagrota,” she said.
During her visit to Badsoo Panchayat in Nagrota, the MLA staged a warning protest against the department. She highlighted that more than 13 PHE stations and dug wells across the constituency have remained defunct for several months, severely affecting water supply to thousands of residents.
Citing specific instances, she pointed out that the PHE dug wells at Hurnali and Kah Pohta have been non-functional since August following flood damage, with no meaningful restoration efforts undertaken so far.
Expressing serious concern, Rana stated that despite substantial allocations in the 2026-27 budget to the PHE sector of Rs 3,500 crore along with financial assistance from the Central Government of an additional approximately Rs 3,000 crore under SASCI, the UT administration and the department have “miserably failed” to utilize these funds effectively.
Taking strong exception to the functioning of the Mechanical Wing of the PHE department, she said the department has failed to ensure timely repair and maintenance of pump sets and motors.
“In many cases, motors are repaired and reinstalled only to get burnt again within days. This clearly points towards substandard repair work, lack of technical oversight, and absence of preventive maintenance. Such inefficiency is unacceptable,” she said.
She further added that over the past six days, the department has been repeatedly repairing and reinstalling motors, pumps, and transformers at PHE stations in Galali and Gharota, only for them to develop faults or burn out again the very next day. “This recurring failure reflects sheer mismanagement, poor quality control, and a complete lack of accountability within the system,” she asserted.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar
