Kulgam, March 23, KNT: The Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department in Kulgam has warned that water connections of consumers with unpaid bills will be disconnected from April 1 if dues are not cleared by March 31, officials said.
Executive Engineer PHE/JJM Division Kulgam, Er Ishfaq Hamid Wani, said the department has issued notices to defaulters and urged consumers to clear their pending bills online within the stipulated deadline.
The move comes amid mounting unpaid water tax dues in the district, which officials said have reached around ₹10 crore, impacting the department’s ability to sustain services and infrastructure.
Kulgam is a district in South Kashmir, carved out of the larger Anantnag district in 2007 to improve administrative efficiency and service delivery. It is located about 70 km from Srinagar and serves as an important link between the Kashmir Valley and the Pir Panjal region.
The district headquarters is Kulgam town, while other key areas include Qazigund, Devsar and D.H. Pora. Kulgam is known for its agricultural economy, with paddy cultivation, apple orchards and horticulture forming the backbone of local livelihoods.
The region is rich in natural resources, including numerous freshwater streams and springs, which support irrigation and drinking water supply. It also hosts important tourist and ecological sites such as Aharbal waterfall, often referred to as the “Niagara Falls of Kashmir.”
Administratively, the district is divided into multiple tehsils and blocks, with a mix of rural and semi-urban population. It has witnessed significant infrastructure development in recent years, particularly under central schemes such as the Jal Jeevan Mission aimed at improving household tap water connectivity.
Kulgam has also been a focus area for governance and security initiatives, given its location in South Kashmir, and continues to see efforts toward strengthening public services, rural development and connectivity.
Speaking to the news agency Kashmir News Trust, Wani said that while the department has ensured water supply to households, many consumers have failed to pay their dues.
“We are providing uninterrupted water supply, but people also have a responsibility to pay their water bills,” he said.
He added that revenue generated through water tax contributes to developmental activities, including maintenance of infrastructure and payment of employees’ salaries.
Officials said that strict action will be taken against defaulters after the deadline.
“We have already issued a warning that from April 1, connections of defaulters will be disconnected, whether commercial or public use,” Wani said.
The Executive Engineer also said that cases of illegal water connections have been identified and are being processed.
“Those who have illegal connections will be brought under the system and updated as regular consumers,” he said.
People have been advised to use online payment modes to clear dues and avoid disruption in water supply.
He said that the department is monitoring compliance and will take further steps depending on the response from consumers in the coming days. [KNT]
