Despite being located close to the Bhakra Main Branch canal, residents of Jakhal town in Fatehabad district are still waiting for clean canal water. Around 16,000 people living in 14 wards continue to depend on tubewells and groundwater as a long-pending drinking water project remains stuck due to the unavailability of suitable land.
According to the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), the project requires land for new water works and a water treatment plant to supply and treat Bhakra canal water. However, the lack of suitable government or panchayat land has delayed the project for years.
The problem has become more severe this summer, with rising demand putting pressure on the ageing water supply system. Residents in several areas complain of low water pressure, while others say the duration of water supply has been reduced.
The locals have also raised concerns over the quality of groundwater, claiming that heavy and contaminated water is causing health problems such as stomach ailments, kidney-related diseases and kidney stones. Harnek Singh, a resident, said the town had expanded over the years with new wards and colonies, but the drinking water infrastructure had not kept pace.
The residents alleged that the issue was raised before every election, with political leaders promising to bring Bhakra canal water to the town. However, they claim no progress is made once the elections are over. They warned that if work on the project did not begin soon, they would make it a major issue in the next elections.
PHED SDO Dalwinder Singh said that large water works and a treatment plant were essential for supplying Bhakra canal water to Jakhal. He said the department was reviewing the land requirement after a change in charge and added that the biggest challenge was the non-availability of suitable land within or near the town. Until the land is identified, the long-awaited project cannot move forward.
