Suffocating Springs Silenced

Anantnag, Feb 10: Once a town embraced by the gushing melody of pristine freshwater springs, Anantnag is now experiencing the heartbreaking loss of its natural treasures.

Pollution, unchecked encroachments, and rampant urbanisation are steadily choking the lifeblood of this historic “spring town,” leaving both residents and environmentalists deeply concerned.

Muhammad Yaqoob Khanday, an 80-year-old resident of Anchidora, vividly recalls a time when his neighbourhood was dotted with at least 40 freshwater springs.

Today, barely three remain, struggling against the tide of neglect and contamination.

“Forty years ago, springs were everywhere,” Khanday reminisces, his voice heavy with nostalgia. “We drank from them, bathed in their crystal-clear waters, and watched them teem with fish. Now, they have disappeared, lost to the sands of time and human apathy.”

Among the few that persist, Gafoor Nag, nestled near the shrine of Gafoor Sahab, is on the verge of extinction and is gasping for breath.

Mali Nagi, another spring in the interiors near a Masjid, fares slightly better but has seen a significant drop in its water level.

Elsewhere, along Rani Road, in Azadpora and Chee, once-thriving springs have turned into stagnant pools of garbage and plastic waste.

“It is our collective duty to safeguard these natural reservoirs,” Khanday said.

He urges the government to redirect surface drainage into underground sewage treatment plants to prevent contamination.

“Even if these springs flow through the compounds of houses, they are part of our shared heritage and must be protected,” Khanday said.

Venturing deeper into the town, the plight of other springs is a similar tale of neglect.

Sher Bagh, once a beloved tourist spot, has lost its charm beneath heaps of garbage, while the once-magnificent Nagbal springs are suffocating under floating plastic and unwanted weeds.

The removal of natural pebbles, replacement with artificial tiling, and re-routing of waterways have severely damaged the flora and fauna of these spring waters.

This disruption has blocked the natural spring holes, disturbing habitats and leading to a decline in fish species like Schizothorax.

The upper portion of Sher Bagh, known as Andernag (Indernag) surrounded by an ancient Hindu temple and a Gurdwara, retains some of its former glory.

However, even here, the unplanned renovations around springs have stifled the natural flow of water, leaving it a shadow of its past self.

“These springs are the heartbeat of Anantnag,” says Inam Mir, a 50-year-old teacher. “Encroachments have blocked Nagbal’s outlets, and if we don’t act now, soon we will have nothing left to save.”

The famed Sulphur springs of Malakhnag, with its origin from the hillock and known for their medicinal properties, are battling neglect.

While Malakhnag still holds on, its twin, Sonarpakhur, has all but succumbed to filth and waste.

At Sarnal, a mass of Azolla can be spotted all over Heemal Nag while its twin spring is dying fast.

The Reshmol Sahab spring fares slightly better, but at Kadipora, the once-revered Syed Sahab spring is fading fast.

The Gajinag springs of Kadipora, once a favourite for children’s swims and worshippers’ ablutions, have become cesspools, overwhelmed by garbage and relentless encroachments.

“Gajinag’s flow has dwindled drastically,” laments Arif Reshi, 35, a local.

“If we keep closing our eyes, we will wake up to find nothing but dry beds where water once danced,” he says.

Environmentalists point to unplanned urbanisation as the primary culprit behind this ecological disaster.

“Encroachments and pollution are strangling these springs. What remains is heavily contaminated. The only way forward is to preserve our natural landscapes and curb excessive concretisation,” says Raja Muzaffar Bhat, a social activist and environmentalist.

An official from the Anantnag district administration assured that efforts were underway to restore these once-majestic springs.

But words alone cannot halt the erosion of time.

Without immediate and decisive action, Anantnag’s liquid jewels may soon become mere whispers in the wind – memories of a town that once flowed with life.