Handwara, Mar,05: Residents of Waskhura in north Kashmir’s Handwara sub-district staged a protest on Tuesday, blocking the Handwara-Ramhal road near Talri Bridge for nearly ten minutes. The protesters, including men, women, and youth, expressed anger over the lack of basic facilities such as electricity and drinking water during the holy month of Ramadhan.
According to the residents, their electricity supply was disconnected by the Power Development Department (PDD) a few days ago, leaving them in darkness during Sehri and Iftar. They also complained about a persistent water shortage, adding to their hardships.
Soon after the road was blocked, Tehsildar Handwara Zeeshan Khan, along with officials from PDD, the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, and Handwara Police, reached the spot and assured the protesters that steps would be taken to restore power and water supply.
Speaking to the media, Tehsildar Zeeshan Khan explained that 70% of the village’s population had not paid their electricity bills, leading to the disconnection. “A huge amount is pending, which is why the PDD had to cut the power supply as per the directions of higher authorities. I urge the residents to clear their dues so they can use electricity without any restrictions,” he stated.
Regarding the water shortage, PHE officials said the extreme winter temperatures had damaged multiple pipelines, causing leakage and supply disruptions. “Our teams are working on repairing the damaged pipelines, and the water supply will be restored within a few days,” said PHE Executive Engineer Bilal Ahmad.
Following assurances from the civil and police administration, the protest concluded peacefully, and traffic movement on the Handwara-Ramhal road was restored.
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