Srinagar, Jan. 4 -- Residents of several villages of Mawer Handwara in north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Saturday said the area is facing acute shortage of drinking water supply from last 20 days.

The aggrieved resident of Shahnagri Mawer, Khuri and adjoining villagers said they are being forced to drink contaminated water from the nearby streams.

"We requested the concerned authorities several times about the problem but our plea is not heard by them," a resident, Ali Muhammad Dar of Mawer told KNS.

They residents fear that consuming water from nearby streams can cause water borne diseases in the area.

Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, a resident of Khuri Mawer told that they have to walk almost 1.5 kilometres to fetch the water in this chilli...