Budgam, July 25: Several residents of Jawalapora village in central Kashmir's Budgam district have reportedly fallen ill after consuming contaminated drinking water, raising serious concerns over the quality of water being supplied through the public distribution system.

According to local residents, instead of receiving treated water from designated reservoirs, the supply is allegedly being sourced from nearby streams and other polluted water bodies. They claimed the untreated water is reaching households through the existing pipeline network, making it unfit for consumption.

Residents said the contaminated supply has led to health issues among several people, while the village continues to grapple with a severe shortage of safe drinking water.

They further alleged that repeated representations to the concerned authorities have failed to bring any improvement, leaving many families with no option but to consume unsafe water or arrange drinking water through private sources.

The villagers have urged the Jal Shakti Department and the district administration to intervene without delay by restoring the supply of clean, treated drinking water, disconnecting pipelines linked to contaminated sources, and carrying out a comprehensive inspection of the water supply system to prevent further health risks.