The pristine Sindh Nallah, a vital ecological artery of Ganderbal district and an important freshwater source for trout farming, is facing deterioration in water quality due to the discharge of untreated sewage, according to a comprehensive status report submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) before the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
The CPCB report has identified elevated contamination levels at three key stretches of the waterway—Kangan Akhal Bridge, Shutkadi Bridge downstream of Sonamarg and Sindh Nallah at Sonamarg. The pollution has been attributed to untreated domestic sewage entering the water body through multiple municipal and commercial drains.
The report was submitted in compliance with directions of the NGT in proceedings concerning pollution of the Sindh Nallah and its potential impact on the trout habitat in the area.
The latest findings are based on water samples collected during an extensive CPCB field inspection conducted on May 4, 2026.
The NGT proceedings were initiated against the backdrop of a Greater Kashmir report titled “Sindh Nallah Polluted Trout Habitat Threatened in Ganderbal”, published on August 19, 2024. The Tribunal has been examining pollution in the Sindh Nallah and its impact on trout fish farming, with the waterway being an important source of freshwater for trout farming in the region.
The investigation was ordered to assess environmental risks in Ganderbal district, particularly the potential impact of water contamination on the area’s vital trout-farming ecosystem.
During its May 4 inspection, the CPCB collected 11 water samples, including seven from different locations along the Sindh Nallah and four from drains discharging into the waterway.
According to the CPCB report, all seven river sampling locations complied with the designated best-use criteria for propagation of wildlife and fisheries under Class D.
However, three locations—Kangan Akhal Bridge, Shutkadi Bridge downstream of Sonamarg and Sindh Nallah at Sonamarg—failed to meet the Class B and Class C criteria due to elevated total coliform levels.
Other parameters tested at these locations, including pH, dissolved oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), were found to be within the prescribed limits.
The microbiological analysis of the drains feeding the Sindh Nallah, however, revealed particularly high levels of contamination.
The CPCB recorded faecal coliform levels ranging from 2×10⁴ to 29×10⁷ MPN/100 ml in the four identified drains. BOD levels in the drains ranged from 6 mg/l to 118 mg/l.
The CPCB said the levels indicated the discharge of untreated sewage into the Sindh Nallah, highlighting the continuing pressure on the waterway from inadequately treated domestic wastewater.
The report also flagged operational gaps in sanitation infrastructure at Sonamarg. During the inspection, the proposed 1.2 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) was found to be incomplete and had not yet become operational.
Officials of the Sonamarg Development Authority informed the CPCB team that at least two additional months would be required to make the facility operational.
The delay in commissioning the STP assumes significance as untreated sewage continues to enter the Sindh Nallah through drains, with the CPCB findings showing high faecal coliform and BOD levels in the inflows.
The CPCB has recommended that the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (J&K PCC) issue immediate directions to ensure zero discharge of untreated sewage into the Sindh Nallah.
It has also recommended continuous monitoring of water quality to track contamination and help protect the fragile high-altitude river habitat.
The findings have renewed concerns over sewage management in settlements along the Sindh Nallah, particularly in and around Sonamarg and Kangan, where the waterway has ecological importance and supports trout-farming activities.
The CPCB’s recommendations now place greater emphasis on preventing untreated sewage from entering the nallah and ensuring that sanitation infrastructure, including the proposed STP at Sonamarg, is completed and made operational without further delay.
