Around 150 people in Keri, a rural hamlet in border region Rajouri, still have to walk miles every day to get water, even though the nation is celebrating the ‘Amrit Kaal’ of its independence.
Even though they have been independent for almost 70 years, they still don’t have access to running water.
Villagers, especially those of the tribal community, are angry at the government’s lack of concern for them and have called for “a boycott of all polls to be held in the future” since, in their opinion, “political representatives of the area have failed them all these years.”
There was no water distribution plan brought to us by our elected officials. We’ve been cut off from the basics of survival. We have to go really long and perilous distances just to get enough water to drink,” they complain.
Keri, located in the Khawas tehsil, is one of the most underdeveloped communities in the frontier area. Keri’s Ward 2 residents, who live on a ridge of perilous hills in the tehsil of Khawas, primarily blame political representatives for their “primitive way of life,” but they also accuse the heads of the Jal Shakti Department (previously the Public Health Engineering Department) of ignoring them.
The locals have recently posted a video showing peasants trudging for kilometres while carrying water barrels and other utensils on their shoulders, giving a look into their “life of ancient humans.”
Can you believe it’s the twenty-first century and we still don’t have running water in our village? The lack of a reliable water delivery system is at the top of the list of complaints voiced by the local populace.
They complain, “Every day we have to walk kilometres downhill to a natural (water) source (well) and then climb these treacherous heights with water-filled barrels and other utensils on our shoulders.”
Even a visitor from Nowshera who came to Keri village to see his family expressed his frustration with the government’s indifference to the people who live there.
I can’t believe these folks have found a way to make a living without access to running water. I have no intention of returning to this town. No matter how much money somebody gives me, I just cannot remain here. He expresses his dismay at the depressing conditions in the community, saying, “This is the height of apathy.”
We will not only refuse to vote in any future elections, but we will also not welcome any political leader to our community who is campaigning for support. Politicians arrive, they cast their ballots, and then they depart. The peasants are frustrated because “they never bother to address our grievance.”
The Rajouri division’s Executive Engineer from the Jal Shakti Department confirmed that this location is not yet covered by the WSS.
“The area is uncovered at present and shall be provided water supply under Water Supply Scheme Keri,” stated the Executive Engineer.
He further said, “The work is assigned and shall be taken up on priority.”
