Imagine fetching a bucket of water, you need to go miles in -40 degree temperature. How life could be there without access to the basic need of life—water. For ages, people residing here in Demjok, the zero border village of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) could not have thought in their dreams to have a full tap water connection at their doorstep through Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Demjok village is 325 km away from Leh.
Demjok has 38 households. Recently, all have been provided connections under JJM. The local administration is closely working to install solar pumps here. While talking exclusively to The Daily Guardian, Leh DM IAS Shrikant Suse excitedly shared, “Our focus is on the use of solar pumps, eight solar submersible pumps have been installed at the village. The special focus is on the insulation of pipelines. Here we strived hard to install pipelines laid below the frost line.”
The village is a zero-border village along LAC. Along LAC mainly 2 blocks Nyoma and Durbuk are there. Out of the target of total beneficiaries in villages/blocks, 50 per cent of beneficiaries were given FHTCs (Functional household tap connections). Suse added further that Chumur another village along the border has been provided FHTCs recently. Along with this other major villages along LAC have also been covered. In Chushul village, 133 connections have been given so far out of 158.
Expressing further Suse said, “Here temperature often falls to -30 degree to -40 degree, yet work is at full speed. In Phobrang, Man Merak villages along Pangong bank work is ongoing. Dungti and Koyul villages are also along LAC where work is going on.
Expressing gratitude to the Local Administration and JJM, Village Head, Karma Eshay, Namardar, Demjok said, “We used to go miles to fetch a bucket of water, now we could access water at our doorstep without the fear of extreme cold weather here.”