Baramulla, Feb 16: Shranz waterfall, located in Baramulla district of north Kashmir, a breathtaking natural wonder surrounded by lush green forests and mountains, is fast turning into a dumping ground, with the government failing to take concrete measures to preserve its pristine beauty.
In recent years, this once-unexplored spot gained public attention, with an increasing number of visitors and local schools choosing it as a preferred destination for its lush greenery.
However, many leave behind an ugly trail of litter polythene bags, plastic bottles, and food wrappers which causes inconvenience to both locals and tourists.
“I came to Kashmir for the first time and visited many places like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar, but I didn’t know that this place would be so soothing and relaxing for me,” said Kaveri, a non-local tourist.
She expressed her disappointment over the deteriorating condition of the place. “It is scary to see plastic bottles, medical waste and wrappers here. The tourism department must look after this place. This place is dying and crying for management,” Kaveri said.
Notably, the waterfall site lacks basic amenities like dustbins and it is devoid of waste management. In summer tourists and locals flock to Shranz to escape the heat.
In past, local residents voluntarily took initiatives to clean and protect the waterfall. However, they received neither financial nor moral support from the authorities.
They even installed signboards with messages like, “I am Shranz Waterfall, join hands to save me.” Yet, the growing scale of pollution has left them feeling helpless.
“When we started this initiative to protect and preserve this place, we sought legal support from an environmental lawyer. But amid two consecutive lockdowns, he forgot us—and he forgot this eco-fragile place,” said Faizan Wani, a local resident.
Beyond its scenic beauty, the waterfall is a crucial water source for entire Kandi area. However, mismanagement of waste and heavy rush of visitors has led to serious contamination. Its water that feeds the waterfall now carries hazardous waste.
“The inhuman activities have severely affected this beautiful place. We request the Tourism Department to set up proper waste segregation here to protect the waterfall,” said Rameez, another resident.
Meanwhile, Block Development Officer (BDO), Wagoora, Jahangir Ahmad, said the department had previously installed dustbins at the waterfall.
“But due to the long-standing issue of people discarding bio-degradable and non-biodegradable waste, which hindered proper segregation, the initiative had to be discontinued,” the BDO said. However, he assured that a team would be sent to assess the current situation and expressed hope that the waste would be removed soon.
