The much-publicized Jal Jeevan Mission, which promised to provide piped drinking water to every rural household under the slogan "Har Ghar Nal Se Jal," has come under intense scrutiny in the Charar-i-Sharief constituency, where residents continue to grapple with an acute water crisis.
Despite extensive pipe-laying works by the Jal Shakti Department in villages such as Zaloosa, Rozabal, Baldara, Nowgam, and Branpathri, not a single functional water storage tank has been constructed. Locals say the ambitious project has failed to deliver even the basic promise of access to clean drinking water.
The situation is especially dire during the summer months, when women, children, and the elderly are forced to walk several kilometers to fetch water — a reality many call unacceptable in the 21st century. What was meant to be a life-transforming scheme has, for these residents, become a symbol of state failure and broken promises.
Senior leader of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), Advocate Javed Hubi, has strongly criticized the administration’s failure to execute the project effectively. “This is not just a policy lapse, it is a moral and constitutional failure,” he said.
Hubi demanded immediate intervention from the Lieutenant Governor’s office and outlined a series of urgent steps the government must take:
Expedite the construction of water storage tanks in all affected villages
Ensure immediate and functional water connections to every household
Conduct a social audit of the funds spent under the Jal Jeevan Mission in Charar-i-Sharief
Identify and hold accountable those responsible for delays, mismanagement, and corruption
“Public funds cannot be squandered on incomplete, half-hearted projects,” said Hubi. “The residents of Charar-i-Sharief have every right to clean and accessible drinking water. Bureaucratic inefficiency and political apathy cannot be tolerated.”
He further warned that the Awami Ittehad Party will not remain silent. “The people have been patient long enough. The time for empty promises is over. If urgent corrective measures are not taken, we will launch a public agitation,” he said.
The issue has ignited a wave of discontent across the constituency, with citizens demanding transparency, accountability, and most importantly — water.