Ganderbal’s Gund Nallah turns into dumping ground, locals aghast

Ganderbal, Feb 15: Once a pristine source of fresh water, the Gund Nallah in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district has now become a dumping ground, raising serious environmental and health concerns among local residents.
The once-flowing stream, which was a lifeline for the community, is now choked with waste, emitting a foul stench and making the water completely unfit for any use. Residents say the situation has worsened over the years as both households and shopkeepers have been carelessly discarding rubbish into the stream. “The smell is unbearable, especially in the evenings. You cannot walk past without covering your nose,” said Nazir Ahmad, a local shopkeeper. “We used to drink this water two decades ago, but now it is so polluted that even animals refuse to go near it.”
Another resident, Mohammad Shafi, expressed his disappointment over the community’s negligence. “We cannot put all the blame on the administration. It is our own people who are destroying this stream. There used to be fish here; now, it is just plastic and filth. We must take responsibility and change our habits before it is too late.”
Ghulam Rasool, a retired government employee, recalled how the stream once served as a source of drinking water. “Back in the 90s, people from nearby villages would come here to fill their pots with clean water. Now, I wouldn’t even let my cattle drink from it. This is a disgrace.”
The deteriorating condition of Gund Nallah has prompted an outcry from the locals, who are now appealing to the authorities for an immediate clean-up operation. They have urged the Tehsil administration of Gund, the Rural Development Department (RDD) and local volunteers to intervene and restore the nallah to its original state.
“This is not just about aesthetics; this is about public health,” said a social activist. “Contaminated water sources contribute to the spread of diseases. We need the administration to act swiftly and the people must cooperate to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
Bilal Ahmad, a young environmentalist from the area, suggested that authorities enforce penalties on those found dumping waste into the stream. “If we don’t act now, this will become a permanent landfill. The administration must impose fines on violators and also set up proper waste disposal facilities so that people have no excuse to throw garbage into the nallah.”
Locals have also suggested that waste bins be placed along the stream to discourage littering and that a proper waste disposal system be introduced. Some residents have called for a community-driven initiative, similar to the Dal Lake clean-up drives, to tackle the issue. With the situation worsening by the day, the people of Gund hope that authorities will take urgent action before the damage becomes irreversible.