Amidst peak fruit season, Asia’s second largest Fruit Mandi in Sopore faces water shortage

Srinagar: Asia’s second largest Fruit Mandi in northern Sopore lacks water facilities with the people associated with the mandi facing immense problems due to acute water shortage. The official, however, said that the Jal Shakhti scheme within the premises will take one more month to complete.
Fruit Buyers Association President, Mudasir Ahmed said that they are going through the toughest times due to lack of water facility in the Fruit Mandi amidst peak fruit season.
“We have to hire a water tanker on a daily basis to meet the ends. We don’t get a single water tanker from the Jal Shakti department and have to hire from our own pockets”, Mudasir said.
Raman Singh, a driver from Punjab said: “I have been at Asia’s second largest fruit Mandi in Sopore for the past five days. Unfortunately the lack of facilities makes life miserable for us, especially when it comes to water shortage.”
He said that the morning scenes are entirely different and full of challenges as there is no water available in the washroom facility. “We have to purchase water bottles to get fresh,” Singh said.
Similarly, Azad Ahmed, a local labourer who has been at the Mandi for the last decade stated that he has to spend almost Rs 100 per day solely on purchasing water bottles to quench his thirst as there is no option.
Meanwhile, Assistant Executive Engineer, Jal Shakhti division Sopore, Mudasir Ahmed said that the efforts are on to provide water supply to Mandi as the construction of OHT project, with an estimated cost of around Rs 5 crores is in progress and is going to be completed soon.
“The Over Head Tank (OHT) completion will take one more month. The project will end the water crises in the Fruit Mandi”, the AEE said