Kupwara, Feb 27: An intervention carried out at a natural spring in Trehgam village of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district has triggered serious environmental and public health concerns after residents reported dead fish in the water and authorities declared the source unfit for consumption.
Locals said the activity at the spring was not part of any routine sanitation programme and came as a surprise to many villagers who rely on the water source for daily use. “Whatever was done there was not normal cleaning,” said Mansoor Malik. “Soon after the work, the water changed colour and fish started floating dead. We immediately stopped using it.”
The spring serves as a primary drinking-water source for several households, making the sudden deterioration in its quality particularly alarming. Residents said they alerted officials after noticing a foul smell and murkiness in the water.
Health and water supply departments later visited the site and collected samples for laboratory analysis. Villagers said they were verbally advised not to consume the water, though no formal public notice had been displayed at the spring or in the locality at the time of filing this report. Environmental observers warn that unsupervised or poorly planned interventions in natural springs can severely disrupt fragile ecosystems. “Disturbing sediments or introducing chemicals without proper assessment can lead to oxygen depletion and the release of harmful substances,” said Tahir Ahmed an environmental activist working in the region. “Such actions must follow scientific protocols.”
Residents are now demanding clarity over who authorised the activity and under what guidelines it was carried out. “This spring is our lifeline,” said Abdul Jabbar. “We want to know who decided to interfere with it and why there was no expert supervision.”
“This spring is surrounded by chinar trees, and their leaves keep falling into the water. Since no one cleans them regularly, the leaves decompose inside the spring, which can lead to contamination and depletion of oxygen. That could be one of the reasons behind the death of the fishes,” said Khalid Ahmad Mir, a local veterinarian by profession.
The incident has renewed debate around the absence of strict procedures for interventions in Kashmir’s natural water sources, many of which support rural communities and sensitive aquatic life. For now, villagers remain dependent on alternate water supplies, waiting for answers, and for the spring to be declared safe again.
By: Tawheed Qadir
