Expressing happiness, the women revealed that they have been given freedom from the struggles of fetching water from distant and polluted sources. An elderly resident acknowledged the Jal Jeewan Mission’s transformative impact, highlighting the monumental change in a region that was once deemed inaccessible.
A remote village of North Kashmir, located 30 kilometers from Srinagar district headquarters will no longer need to travel miles to fetch drinking water as the potable water through pipes has reached their doorsteps.
The long awaited project, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 554 lakhs, aims to provide clean and accessible drinking water to four villages.
For the residents of Jeelpora Bonichakal, this day marked the end of a 70-year struggle for access to tap water. The inauguration ceremony was met with massive celebrations, with villagers expressing their joy through firecrackers and jubilation reminiscent of Eid festivities
Ali Muhammad, a resident of the village, shared his excitement, calling the water supply scheme a “special gift” on the eve of Ramadan. “For the first time in 70 years, the residents of this village will have tap water. There is finally an end to our ordeal, thanks to the Prime Minister,” he expressed with joy.
A 70 year old man told us that many do not want their daughters to marry men from these villages. “Due to lack of basic facilities, no villager is interested in getting their daughters married in these villages. But now our villages will get clean water, with which the boys here will also get married. We thank the Prime Minister of our country, Narendra Modi, who has launched the JJM scheme.”
The scheme, set to benefit approximately 11,000 residents across 1,350 households, addresses a critical issue that has plagued the area since decades.
Prior to the water supply scheme, villagers were forced to fetch water from polluted streams, leading to waterborne diseases and health concerns.
Pertinent to mention here, the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a flagship program of the Government of India, was launched on August 15, 2019, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The program is a crucial step towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure access to water and sanitation for all.