Jammu, Feb 26 (PTI) Reeling under water scarcity for decades, the residents of snow-bound Khai village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district are thankful to the Army for fulfilling their dream of having a drinking water connection near their doorstep.
The Army’s endeavour under “Operation Sadbhavana” (goodwill) to provide water supply to the remote mountain village ended the miseries of the locals, especially the women who had to walk miles to fetch water for daily chores and drinking.
“Khai village is located in the far-flung area of Gandoh and the local Army unit, on noticing the plight of the people, took the charge of providing water supply to the village,” Jammu-based defence PRO Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand told PTI.
Anand, who also shared a short video clip of the Sadbhavana project on his official Twitter handle, said the Army is making continuous efforts to reach out to people and mitigate their problems.
“The Army took the initiative and provided the necessary material, including a water storage tank and pipes, which were jointly laid underground by the troops and the local population to provide water supply to the village,” he said.
In the video, the villagers were all praise for the Army as provisions of water were a distant dream for them. During winter, the villagers used to melt snow for drinking and fulfilling other needs like preparing food and washing clothes.
“We had to walk two to three kilometers daily to fetch water…. The Indian Army made our lives easier. The women of the village are thankful to the Army for this project,” Rubina Begum, a local resident, said.
Tariq Hussain, another resident, also lauded the Army for reaching out to the poor population and addressing their long-standing demand.
Government school teacher Atta Mohammad said the Army’s assistance came as a major relief to the locals.
Block Development Council (BDC) chairperson Fatima Farook said the village in her block was without water supply for centuries.
“The Army, under Operation Sadbhavana, completed the water supply scheme, which is highly appreciable,” she said.
