Muhammad Mukaram
Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 3: Once known for crystal clear and curative waters, the springs of this picturesque Khrew town of South Kashmir's Pulwama district paints a grim picture and has been losing their glory due to official apathy, bringing them at the verge of extermination.
Despite the fact that the khrew town which is around 20 kms away from Srinagar, have witnessed a huge chunk of pollution for last two decades by the giant Cement factories, but the nature has been kind to bestow the town with plentiful water bodies especially springs, which if not been preserved properly by the authorities will lose its sheen soon.
In khrew, there are at least seven springs including a main spring known as 'Nagbal' located at the main bus stand in Khrew, is at the brink of it. Several other springs including Khaarnag, shalnaag , naagrat, and other small water bodies have same situation.
"No doubt nature has been kind enough to bestow the town with abundant water resources particularly springs but the people and concerned authorities have proved quite insensitive to maintain this nature's gift," said a local resident, Mohd Amin.
"Khrew town being labeled as industries area, the Municipal Committee Khrew has huge revenue from the trucks that carries cement from factories to their destinations, if MCK will spend their money properly, or these cement Industries have given CSR to town, then khrew would have been a developed town. Almost all the springs are facing utter negligence by the concerned authorities with no basic infrastructure set up to keep them clean of dust and garbage," Said another Local resident, Waseem Wani, who is keen to keep these water bodies neat and clean.
"Prior to 1980s, Naagbal spring used to be a major attraction for both local and outside people, Hari Singh, Ruler of Jammu and Kashmir was used to visit this town weekly for Shikaar, but now our town has lost its charm and this main spring 'Naagbal' remains dotted with polythene bags and plastic bottles," said an elderly local resident.
"Heaps of garbage emitting foul smell is lying all around the Naagbal spring while polythene keeps on floating in them. The womenfolk can be seen washing clothes in the springs and the detergents and soap mix additional pollutants to the already polluted waters," said another resident.
Locals of the town claim that the springs located in other different portion of the town are also in pathetic condition. "Naagbal spring was teeming with fish but their number has drastically come down and authorities are watching as mute spectators," Said Locals of the town. "The other springs have almost been reduced to mere cesspools due to accumulation of garbage and increased human interference," the residents said. The known springs of the town, they added, is also in miserable condition with heaps of garbage and plastic bottles lying all around it making it stinking. |
