Since most of the ancient village springs of Kashmir valley are in utter neglect and at many places supplying polluted water to the villagers, neither the people nor the state authorities are taking any measures to preserve such water sources. There are reports that several of these springs are filled with tree wastes and other dirt and have remained unclean from years together. At several places many of these little known water sources have disappeared due to uncontrolled human vandalism and authorities’ apathy. Despite of this unchecked mess, we still claim persevering of our environment and celebrate it with great honor.
While the village springs continue to suffer and have been losing their water volumes as well, on the other hand however, cores of rupees are been spent annually for conservation of the major water bodies like Dal, Wollur and Mansbal lakes. No doubt the state of affair of these sources too is not good, as per reports the waters and areas of these sources have been considerably encroached upon. The local media has also been reporting stories about the ailing condition of major water bodies of Srinagar and other towns but it hardly highlighted the problems faced by our little village water sources.
Not only the government authorities the local village people have also turned indifferent towards their glorious springs and do not preserve their village springs. Several of these springs are filled with unwanted wastes but there is no body to clean up these springs. At several places the spring walls have developed cracks and are leakages. One such neglected spring can be seen at Kothair in south Kashmir.
The glorious spring which has been the only source of drinking water to its adjoining villages has, due to neglect, not only lost its original water volume but also developed heavy leakages. No doubt government has made alternate arrangement to supply the drinking water to this area but what about the waters of this ancient spring which almost go into waste due to the uncontrolled leakages.
Another evidence of grave negligence can be experienced at Zainapora Shopian, where the famous ancient spring of Nil nag is breathing its last and state authorities for water conservation as well as the people of Zainapora area have became mere spectators of this dying water body.
Nilnag is one of the ancient springs situated in between the villages of Zainapur and Hafsheermal in southern Kashmir. it has been the deepest spring of this area and served as the major irrigating and drinking source to the dozens of villages of Zainpur. Besides, it was once the main picnic spot of the area where the neighboring school children used to go for their picnics and enjoyed the beauty of its fresh waters. However the site has almost lost its pristine glory with the spring dying fast. It has become a dumping site and the waste of standing olden trees falling in its waters has filled its depth and shrieked its outlet.
The condition Kashmeri hill springs liincluding Kounsar, Sarkanch, Brahim, Sir-Chher-Sar in Shopian and Kulgam areas is also worrying the local inhabitants as they claim that the water level of these springs is also decreasing considerably. The people living adjacent to these springs have been demanding conservation plans for the springs on the pattern of major water bodies.
It is in place to mention here that these springs constituted our wonderful heritage where we needed no alternative water heating and cooling technologies as nature had already done it for us. Although nature has been so kind but people have vandalized and destroyed the rich natural gifts.
