Water crisis at Jamal village, officials blame canal breach

Residents are facing a severe water crisis in Jamal village — which has a population of around 15,000 — in Ellenabad constituency. The village’s water supply facility, which includes four tanks, has run dry, forcing villagers to purchase water. Tanker operators charge between Rs 500 and Rs 700 per load, often delivering contaminated water sourced from nearby canals. This has raised concerns about the potential spread of waterborne diseases among villagers.

Villagers Krishan Kumar, Satish Kumar, Satpal, Kishan Beniwal, Manik Prakash, Mohanlal and Sandeep Punia expressed their frustration over the situation. They said that for the past 15 days, they had been left with no option but to buy water. The situation is particularly alarming given the intense summer heat.

While politicians are seen enjoying bottled mineral water during their election campaigns, locals are forced to drink polluted water at home. The issue has drawn attention of the Public Health Department but officials attribute the water shortage to a recent canal breach.

Ashwani Kumar, a Junior Engineer from the Public Health Department, said the canal supplying water to the facility had unexpectedly ruptured. This disruption had delayed water supply, he said, assuring residents that once the canal was repaired and water flow resumed, the tanks would be refilled, restoring access to clean water for the village.

Residents are hoping for swift action to resolve this critical issue before the elections.