Apple dumping sparks health, environmental alarm in Shopian

Shopian, Jul 2: Shiraz Ahmad has covered his face while tending to his orchard to avoid the overpowering stench of spoiled apples. The orchardist from Pehlipora village in south Kashmir’s Shopian district says it’s nearly impossible to stand in the area for more than a few minutes without holding one’s nose. Piles of rotten apples lie scattered in the gurgling Rambiara stream, releasing a foul odor that pervades the entire area.

According to residents, the decayed fruit was dumped by individuals associated with the Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storages located a short walk away at Aglar Fruit Mandi. It has become a routine practice now. Every year, rotten produce is dumped into the stream, polluting  not only the water body, but also  posing a  direct threat to both the resident’ health and their livestock.The Rambiara stream, a vital tributary of river Jhelum and source of irrigation and drinking water, is now littered with organic waste and carries a strong stench.

“We often fall ill due to the foul smell,” said Ahmad. He added that their cattle sometimes die after consuming the spoiled apples that wash up near grazing areas or are dumped along the orchard edges near the stream.  The residents said that despite repeated appeals to authorities, no action has been taken against the practice.

Mitha Gatoo, a prominent social activist from Shopian told Greater Kashmir that it had become a recurring problem. "Hundreds of downstream villages rely on the stream for drinking water", said Gatoo. He said if the Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage owners have set up these facilities after receiving substantial government subsidies, then they must be held accountable for ensuring they operate effectively and benefit the intended stakeholders. Gatoo said that the civil society would register a police complaint against the offenders. A CA storage owner, who declined to be quoted by his name, acknowledged  that some CA storages dispose of C-grade apples near the stream as there were no waste management facilities in the area.  The area is home to atleast 10 CA storages with a storage capacity of 60,000 tonnes.