AJK’s industrial area without water for 3 weeks

Marble industry battling for survival.

MIRPUR:

Protests have erupted in many areas following acute shortage of drinking water not only for residents but also for the industrial zones in Mirpur – a city dubbed the industrial district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

“The old industrial zone close to the city is among the areas facing severe shortage of water for the past three weeks,” an industrialist said in an emergency meeting of the Mirpur Marble Association held the other day.

“Water supply has been totally suspended to the old industrial area by the Public Health Engineering Department,” said the association’s President, Mirza Karamat Hussain.

“Quick restoration of water supply is the need of the hour for survival of the marble industry,” he said. Hussain alleged that despite repeated complaints, the water supply agency was paying no heed to the problem, forcing them to close the marble industry.

Talking to The Express Tribune, an official of the Public Health Engineering Department stressed that since the industrial estates came in administrative jurisdiction of the AJK Department of Commerce and Industry, it was their responsibility to ensure supply of required facilities like water, power and gas for smooth functioning of the industrial units.

Despite repeated attempts, no official of the industries department could be reached for comments.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2012.