Jammu, In a significant display of public unrest, residents of Mendhar, located in the Poonch district of occupied Jammu and Kashmir, have launched protests against what they describe as the authorities’ indifference to a severe water crisis affecting the area. The crisis has notably impacted the town, leaving many without access to drinking water for an extended period.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the protests were led by social activist Basharat Ahmed and saw the participation of residents from the Shiv Mandir and Fire Station locality near Darana Chowk. The protesters voiced their frustration with the authorities’ prolonged neglect of the water scarcity issue, which has left the community in dire straits. Broken water pipes have exacerbated the situation, depriving locals of drinking water for more than six months.

The demonstrators, who raised impassioned slogans to draw attention to their plight, emphasized the timing of the crisis as particularly egregious, coinciding with the commencement of the holy month of Ramzan. This has forced residents to travel long distances to fetch water, further compounding their hardship. The protest underscores a growing demand for accountability and action from officials in Mendhar, who are accused of negligence in addressing the critical water shortage.