Citizens reacting to the cut-off water pumps’ electricity in many villages of Turkiye’s Şırnak, reacted to Dicle EDAS [Electricity Distribution Company] and asked them to resolve the problems.

Citizens in Şırnak’s Idil, in other two towns and in 84 villages those are living without water due to cut-off water pumps’ electricity by Dicle EDAS, reacted to the situation.

While many villages are dehydrated due to the cut-off of electricity of water pumps, citizens demand the problems they have experienced to be resolved from the authorities.

Mehmet Selim Karaynir, who lives in the Ulak (Filfêlê) village of Idil province, stated that it has been 7 days that they live without water, including some institutions.

Karaynir said, “In addition, there is now water in 66 villages and in two more town of Idil. No one comes to read the water pump counters, they send imaginary bills and many have not even been warned so far. Dicle EDAS officials recently held a meeting with the local authorities. Local authorities demanded from Dicle EDAS for the old bills to be deleted but did not accept it. They also want to pay interest together with the debts 2 years ago. The electric bill of the water pump cost to 340 thousand TL [approximately US $ 94,000] 2 years ago in our village. No one can pay that much in this arid region. We are supplying water in the previous conditions, which is a great shame.”

“The state should not allow such problems”

Feyzullah Aşkın, who lives in the village of Tepeköyü (Xirabêripin), reported that the direct electricity had been cut-off without warning and said: “We have a problem with water. We received 300-400 thousand TL electric bills. The villagers have no power to deposit this money. We want the authorities to find a solution to this problem. We have no water supplies since a week. Also Ramadan is approaching. And some villagers have the possibility. They can get water with water truck. It is not possible for me to have such an opportunity because I am 82 percent disabled. The state shouldn’t allow such problems to occur.”

“We are getting water with human and animal power”

Nefise Özalp, who stated that her water is cut off for a week and that she has suffered great grievances for this reason, said, “We carry water in primitive conditions for our own needs and for our animals. We are afraid that our children will fall into the wells. There is no life for us. I ask the authorities for the removal of our water problems. At this time we take water from our wells into our home. We return to the old times. It took us back 30-40 years. We are getting water with human and animal power. We want this problem to be resolved.”

“Muslims should not do this to Muslims”

Hanife Aşkın, referring to the fact that she had to carry water with her elderly age, said, “The month of Ramadan is coming, we have animals, we have fields, we cannot go on like this. Our conditions of life are getting harder. They have cut-off our water. Muslim should not do this to Muslims. We have poor people and we cannot pay burdened taxes. We carry the water like the old times.”

In addition, it has learned that same problem is experiencing in Cizre and Silopi districts. (M. Şerif Aşkın - ILKHA)