Dara residents decry contamination of stream

Srinagar, July 29: Residents of Dara area of Harwan and its adjoining areas have expressed concern over contamination of a freshwater stream that supplies water to hundreds of households in the area.

The residents staged protest and urged authorities to take measures to address the issue. They said that the scenic water body is slowly becoming a dumping site of solid waste which has also contaminated the only drinking water source of the vast area. Farooq Ahmad Kuthoo, a resident from the area said that over 3000 households in several areas use this drinking water supply and it is getting contaminated because of the huge flow of visitors who come to bath amid scorching heat.

“We are not against people visiting this place, but there should be some measures in place to ensure that the water and natural resources are not polluted. Since the water is fresh, there is no filtration plant, but the rush of people has affected the water quality badly, and it is affecting our health. From washing dogs to throwing sold waste, we have seen everything being done by people visiting this place. If authorities don’t wake up to the issue, there will be no going back,” Kuthoo said.

The locals also said that, in addition to water pollution, the place is becoming a hub of anti-social elements.

“There are fights happening among youth here who come from other areas. This used to be a clean place, but people have ruined it,” said another local.

The locals said that there should be a check on the number of visitors visiting so that the proper balance is maintained. They said amid the heat wave, the place has been overwhelmed, and it has contaminated the water body that used to be crystal clear and ready to drink.

“Due to the social media boom and its proximity to Srinagar, the place has witnessed overwhelming visitors. We are not against visitors, but whosoever visits the place should also respect the population who consider the freshwater stream as their lifeline. In a bid to make reels and show their social media presence, the youth have overwhelmed the place and ruined its ecological balance,” said Mudasir Ali, a local from New Theed.

The residents said that it would take over 200 people to launch a cleanliness drive to remove solid waste from the area. They appealed to authorities to take necessary action and address the issue.

Executive Engineer PHE Rural Samiullah Beigh said that district administration has taken the cognisance of the issue.

“The issue of water getting polluted has been addressed by the district administration. We are also going to build a filtration plant at the place to ensure safe drinking water. The plan is already in the pipeline," Beigh said.