Why the Kashmir Water Crisis Signals New Delhi’s Grip on Human Rights

Srinagar, June 30, 2025 — In the shadow of the Himalayan peaks, Kashmiris are queuing with empty buckets and broken pipes, confronting a crisis that’s as political as it is physical. Ever since New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019, the region—officially Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)—has fallen under direct central rule. Today, that takeover is most starkly visible in the Kashmir water crisis, where malfunctioning infrastructure and bureaucratic neglect threaten daily life and basic human rights.

Since 2019, key posts in the Jal Shakti Department remain unfilled, leaving water mains and treatment plants to decay. “The department hasn’t had a permanent head in two years,” says a civil society member in Srinagar (Kashmir Media Service). Non‑Kashmiri officers now oversee procurement and project tenders—often awarding contracts to firms with political ties to New Delhi, with little transparency. Locals report sudden tariff hikes and erratic supply schedules, even as spring‑fed streams dry up under record‑breaking heatwaves.

Imagine waking at dawn to fetch water from a distant spring. That’s the reality in Pulwama’s Chersoo and Hariparigam villages, where farmers working paddy fields now ration water for household chores. “We’re stuck choosing between our crops and our children’s health,” says one mother, her voice cracking with frustration. Across rural IIOJK, 72% of households reported water shortages lasting over two weeks in the past six months (Local NGO Survey, March 2025).

Credible experts warn of mounting public health and economic fallout: diarrheal diseases spike where water is scarce or contaminated, and farmers lose up to 30% of paddy yields when irrigation fails at key growth stages. Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister, insists “Kashmir has a right to its water; New Delhi must restore local control.” Meanwhile, the UNICEF Global Water Report (2024) places IIOJK among South Asia’s worst‑hit regions, with nearly 40% of rural residents lacking reliable water infrastructure.

The crisis is more than broken pipes; it’s a barometer of political disenfranchisement. Centralization has eroded faith in both local and national governance, risking wider unrest. Immediate remedies include filling vacancies in the Jal Shakti Department and auditing all tenders for transparency. Mid‑term, community‑led water councils must wield real decision‑making power. Long‑term, investments in decentralized rainwater harvesting and glacier‑fed micro‑reservoirs—developed in partnership with climate experts—can build resilience against climate stress.