The disappearing or sudden decrease in volume of water in water bodies like lidder River is a matter of concern.

October 10,2017: The disappearing or sudden decrease in volume of water in water bodies like lidder River is a matter of concern. While water in Lidder River and other water bodies has literally disappeared or has witnessed a sudden decrease especially between August to March over the last decade under the pressure of rapid, and badly managed, urbanization. A number of residential houses, guest houses and hotels from Pahalgam to Sangam  discharge their sewage and waste in the river, aggravating pollution levels and if this continues we might not be able to even see the river in the times to come, except in photographs. Even the glaciers are disappearing due to excessive human intervention and the only hope for water now is good snowfall.

The beautiful Lidder Valley has over a dozen small and large water bodies, which are the bedrock of both its ecology and its economy. Unfortunately over the last two decades, massive urbanization and encroachment around these water bodies has led to pollution, siltation due to deforestation, poor sewage treatment system STS,untreated garbage, and overexploitation of the many glaciers  and lakes. Many glaciers of the upper reaches of lidder valley  have shrunk to a fraction of their original size while some have all but disappeared.

The situation is the same with river Sind and the general state of health of all these water bodies is rapidly deteriorating. Needless to say this calls for immediate intervention and the state environment department's apathy and indifderence in the matter is a matter of contempt and concern.

Save Environment, Save The Future

Mushtaq Pahalgami,
Himalayan Welfare Organization-HWO