Located along Yamuna, Barkot fights for water

"It is unfortunate that our town is located on the banks of Yamuna but its residents are desperate for water," said Sunil Thapliyal, who filed a petition in the Uttarakhand high court over water crisis in Barkot town of Uttarkashi district.

- Amit Bathla

DEHRADUN:

Barkot, located on the Yamunotri highway around 120km from state capital Dehradun, is grappling with an acute water crisis, with its residents depending on water tankers, handpumps and natural water sources that are drying up.

In June this year, the local residents launched their protests over the issue, alleging inaction despite their repeated appeals to chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and local authorities. They also wrote to the Prime Minister's Office, locked the local Peyjal Nigam office, shut the market, but to no avail.

To intensify the protest, Keshav Giri Maharaj, president of Yamuna Valley Hindu Jagriti Sangathan, sat on a fast-unto-death agitation in July.

The residents said that putting in place a pumping mechanism from Tiladi to Barkot is the only viable solution and have urged the government and Peyjal Nigam to expedite its approval.

The next hearing in the case is set for March 5.