Residents of Nowgam in Sonawari area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the authorities over the acute shortage of safe drinking water in the block. Locals said that despite repeated appeals, the administration has failed to resolve the genuine grievance of thousands of residents, forcing them to live without an essential service. A local resident, said that Nowgam, with a population of nearly 30,000 people, continues to lack access to clean drinking water. He pointed out that while the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme was introduced in the area with the promise of providing safe and reliable drinking water, the ground reality tells a different story. “Instead of treated water, people are forced to consume raw water drawn directly from the Jhelum River, which is unsafe for human consumption,” he said. Locals further alleged that their repeated representations to higher authorities have gone unheard, leaving them to either rely on unsafe water or buy it at high costs. They urged the government to act swiftly, not only to prevent a possible health crisis but also to fulfill its commitment under JJM of providing safe drinking water to every household.