SRINAGAR : The residents of Kralgund, Batchi, Ashpora, Harwat and Muqam in Handwara held a strong protest demonstration against the Public Health Engineering (PHE) authorities for non-availability of water supply in these villages for past two weeks. They maintained that the non-availability of drinking water in the villages has forced them to consume contaminated water from Nallah Mawar due to which, at least 25 persons have already become victims of dehydration and other intestinal infections. Fearing that the entire population was vulnerable to getting water borne infections, the villagers demanded that water supply should be restored to the areas at the earliest. The protest demonstrators including women who were beating empty pitchers amid anti-administration slogans marched for about 25 kilometers (on foot) to PHE division Handwara and staged a sit in front of the office for hours. Ironically, there was no employee at the PHE division Handwara and the only clerk present there ran away as soon as the demonstrators entered the gate while shouting slogans against the department. The dismayed locals said that at least 16 persons including six children who fell sick due to water borne infections were undergoing treatment at Public Health Centre (PHC) Handwara and nine others who developed multiple intestinal infections were referred to Sub District Hospital (SDH) Handwara for treatment. They said that especially children were more prone to water borne infections. "We had to walk for miles away only to fetch contaminated water from an open Nallah Mawar and due to consumption of impure water, many have fallen sick of multiple intestinal infections. Some taps supplying water to the population in five villages have dried up since last 15 days and the department even after requests has paid no attention to address the problem," said a women protestor. The angry protestors tried to ransack the office, however, SHO Handwara somehow managed to pacify them after repeated assurances that their demand was genuine and authorities concerned will take note of it. The locals alleged that in the name of supplying water to these villages in an efficient way, the PHE department has frittered away 20 lakh rupees this year but there was not a drop of water to drink. They said that at a few places, employees have laid down some pipes and at many other places including Kralgund, Mangalpora and Muqam, the department has dug up few drains/ canals and not laid the pipes. "For last five months, the department has not been able to dig up the drains/canals for laying down the pipes, which is the first step towards ensuring water supply to these villages. The department claims to have spent Rs 20 lakh on the so-called water supply scheme but the work on ground is so haphazard. And ironically, the higher authorities too have not taken any notice of scheme worth Rs 20 lakhs," said a protestor. Despite attempts, Executive Engineer, PHE division Handwara, could not be contacted for his comments.