Jammu and Kashmir’s Jal Shakti Minister, Javed Ahmed Rana, announced on Saturday that the water supply will not be cut off to the Rohingya slums in Jammu. This decision will remain until the Indian government decides on their deportation.
Rana made this statement after Rohingyas living in the Narwal area claimed that their water and power had been disconnected by the authorities. He emphasised that the government has a responsibility to provide water to all people.
Rana said the supply would continue for humanitarian reasons until the central government takes action on the issue.
Rana expressed surprise over the water cut and said he would discuss the matter with officials. “Water is essential for everyone, and it cannot be stopped,” he added.
There are over 13,700 foreign nationals, mostly Rohingyas from Myanmar and some from Bangladesh, living in Jammu and Kashmir. Their numbers increased by over 6,000 between 2008 and 2016.
In March 2021, police discovered more than 270 Rohingyas living illegally in Jammu city and placed them in a holding center in Kathua.
On November 25, the south Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police, Ajay Sharma, announced that 18 FIRs had been filed against landlords renting properties to illegal immigrants without informing the authorities.
The government is also investigating who provided water and electricity to the areas where Rohingyas live.
Amir Hussain, a Rohingya resident in Narwal, said that the government had recently cut off their water and power. He asked the government to allow them to stay in Jammu until the situation improves in Myanmar.
Another resident, Salamatullah, said they could live without electricity, but water was a basic need.
He added that the ongoing government actions had left them upset, as their landlords were being pressured to evict them, and their children could not attend school. Some members of the community had also been jailed in the past few years.
Follow us
