Even as the temperature has touched 40°C in Jammu, about 100 drinking water coolers installed by the Municipal Corporation in the city remain dry in want of repair.
In most parts of the city, water coolers are in a very bad condition and stagnant water and garbage lay outside them, giving a repulsive sight to people passing through the area. Most of the coolers were installed after 2005, when the municipal elections were conducted and councillors used their ward development funds to install them in various parts of the city.
Many residents complain that they have approached officials in the civic body for the repair of coolers, but they showed their inability saying that decision in this regard has to be taken by the higher officials.
There are 71 wards in the city and each former councillor has installed two to three water coolers in different areas, but no regular maintenance was done for them.
“If we compare with the coolers installed by social organisations or private individuals for charity, the coolers installed by the government are in a bad shape with filthy and stinking surroundings,” said Sushil Sharma, a trader at Jewel Chowk.
Drinking water coolers cry for repair, cleanliness
