Sopore, Mar 11 : In a bid to provide immediate relief to water-scarce hamlets on the outskirts of Sopore, MLA Irshad Rasool Kar on Wednesday commissioned a high-capacity pontoon pump at the Nowpora water sourcing point.
The installation, which cost approximately Rs 9 lakh, comes in response to frequent technical failures that have crippled the existing water supply system in the area. Officials said the new pump is expected to restore water access to several affected localities that have been facing dry taps for an extended period.
Speaking to news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) after the commissioning, MLA Kar said the move was necessitated after the previous motor suffered a breakdown, leaving the department’s infrastructure in the area completely paralyzed. “The adjoining areas were left high and dry. This pontoon is an urgent intervention to restore supply,” he said.
The MLA also pointed out that the crisis had been aggravated after the original water source for the Model Town area was diverted and later cut off entirely, following the realignment of a scheme to the river Jhelum.
However, Kar acknowledged that the pontoon pump is only a temporary fix. He noted that the existing filtration plant at the Nowpora site has inadequate capacity and cannot ensure the supply of proper drinking water until it is upgraded.
Despite the limitations, he described pontoon systems as the “best alternative” for locations with fluctuating water levels, adding that similar arrangements could be replicated in other schemes, including Watlab and Sher Colony. (KNS)
