SKARDU, Aug 5: The residents of Skardu have been getting polluted water for several months. A number of people complained that they had been getting polluted water mixed with soil and sand since the beginning of work on Sadpara Dam in April.

It has been learnt that the construction company working on the project has been plying heavy machines through the Sadpara Lake.

The polluted water is used by the greater water supply scheme which has no arrangements of filtration. The lake is the only source of water for the area.

Local people said funds had been allocated to the Descon Company to keep the drinking water clean during the construction but no caution was being exercised in this regard.

A citizen said he had to wait for sand to settle after pouring water from a tap into a glass.

A medical officer in the district headquarters hospital claimed that it dealt daily with almost 200 patients suffering from gastroenteritis, diarrhoea and other stomach diseases caused by unhygienic water.