SRINAGAR: “For generations, we have relied on the bountiful springs of Chount Waliwar as a major source of clean drinking water,” says Ikhlaq-ul-Islam and reveals his dilemma. “We don’t know what to do.”
Chount Waliwar is a small remote hamlet in Ganderbal district, the large rural expanse of which is witnessing a silent catastrophe. A recent Jal Shakti Department report has cast doubt about the quality of water from the springs.
Of the 40 natural springs tested, 37 of them were found to be contaminated with dangerous bacteria. The news of the springs being declared unfit for human consumption has brought fear, anger and uncertainty among local communities who have relied on these springs for their needs.
Now, they struggle for alternatives in villages where tap water connectivity is non-existent or erratic.
Xen PHE Ganderbal Engineer Samiullah Beigh provides a rationale for banning the public use of the springs.
“We randomly sampled 40 places and 37 springs were found contaminated. We issued an order banning public use and asked people to rely on treated water,” he says, while averring that the department is addressing the shortage and gaps with water tankers.
"We've posted warnings to keep people away from identified areas. We recommend using Jal Shakti water instead. Our water comes from master plants and controlled sources. For areas with shortages, we're sending water tankers to help," says Beigh.
Locals, however, says there’s a gap between the assurances and the ground reality.
Yasir Shah, a resident of the Krishnar area said water has been scarce in the area for over past two decades. “Despite the availability of water tanker services through the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department, we continue to encounter significant challenges due to the lack of proper road connectivity,” he reveals.
“In light of these issues, many households, including my own, have resorted to purchasing private water tanks, which we have placed at the roadside. This arrangement allows us to collect water for our domestic needs, but it is far from an ideal solution,” he adds.
Shah reiterates the immediate need for alternatives.
“We have repeatedly reached out to the government regarding our dire need for reliable drinking water. The Ghar Ghar Pani scheme was promised to us, yet we find ourselves in the unfortunate situation of paying annual water bills without receiving actual tap water in our area,” he says.
Some villagers view the government’s sampling and testing with suspicion. Some continue to rely on the springs. Yet, many of them stay away from the now declared ‘contaminated springs’.
The recent reports of 16 deaths in Badhal in Rajouri district add to their anxieties. The investigations revealed an over-exposure of neurotoxins. The villagers say they still don’t know what the primary cause was but believe it is over all neglect.
Wajid, a resident of Badhal, says the tragedy continues to haunt the villagers and warns that if the government doesn’t act now, this may happen elsewhere.
Though authorities have been, as yet, unable to discover the exact source, one of the speculated reasons is toxic and contaminated water sources.
The news from a village 250 kilometres away brings dread and heightens fears. “We want the government to sample every water body, close down the affected ones and provide an alternative,” says Ikhlaq, pointing out that only 40 springs were tested.
The springs in Chount Waliwar have not been tested yet, he says. But some people are already avoiding the waters from the spring. Others continue to draw water in the traditional way.
“If 90% of them were found to be unfit, it is reason enough to conduct more tests,” he explains, fearing that the enormity of the crisis might be bigger.
Beigh admits such concerns are valid. “The sampling and testing has just started and we will reach out to other water sources and other districts. We have also asked people to send in requests we can follow. Any report that we finalise will be put in the public domain,” he assures.
When asked about the reasons of contamination, Beigh contends that is mainly due to an unprecedented dry spell and climate change.
However, environmentalists say it’s not just the weather. Dr. Rouf ur Rafiq, an environment activist says the problem is systemic pollution. “Fertilizers, pesticides, untreated sewage are all seeping into our rural water sources. What was once clean is now a mixture of poisons,” he elaborates.
But the consequences are dire—degrading drinking water, collapsing aquatic ecosystems, and an increase in waterborne diseases.
“Eutrophication—the result of excess nitrates and phosphates—has transformed many of these bodies of water into oases for toxic algal blooms. You wouldn’t want to wash your hands in them, let alone drink them,” he warns.
Shortage of surface water and low snowfall in the last three years has severely impacted the ground water cycle, which ultimately disturbs the aquatic ecosystem. The valley received very low snowfall in the last three years in comparison to average snowfall, says Rafiq
To add to these woes, he says, people these water bodies as dumping sites where they drop all waste materials be it plastic of even diapers.
"Today, we can only see the polythene bags floating on these water bodies which harms the composition of water and eco-system of the aquatic life like hydrophytes (small plants) and zoophytes (tiny micro organisms)," he adds.
It is a crisis point, says Rafiq. “Two to three years ago, waterborne deaths were unheard of in Kashmir. Now over 30 people die every year from drinking polluted water,” he reveals, talking about the alarming magnitude of the problem.
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