Handpumps only source of water in Spiti valley as taps freeze

With lifeline Spiti river and taps at homes freezing under sub-zero temperature, community handpumps remain the only source of water for residents of Kaza sub-division in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul & Spiti district.People could be seen carrying water on mules from handpumps for drinking and other purposes.     Due to frequent snowfall, the night temperature in the area, nestled in Spiti valley, has been hovering between minus 15 and minus 20.With mercury plummeting to such low levels, Spiti river and water taps have frozen leaving residents with no option but to run to community handpumps of irrigation and public health (IPH) department.There are 13 panchayats in 113 villages of Kaza sub-division having a population of 11,800. IPH has installed 251 hand pumps in the sub-division.Durga Azad, a resident of Kyee village said first work they do in the day is to run to handpump for water.     Additional Deputy Commissioner of Kaza Priyatu Mandal said that he himself is using water of community handpump.     An octogenarian Kaza resident Bhagdui said in earlier times when there was no community handpumps, people had to break glass shaped pointed ice pieces from near Spiti river to extract water during peak winter season.