GUREZ, May 2 (KNS): Heaps of garbage accumulating along the banks of the Kishanganga river in Gurez have emerged as a growing environmental concern, exposing glaring gaps in the region's waste management system despite official claims of progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

 

Only a stone's throw away from the fast-flowing river, mounds of unattended trash lie scattered — a stark visual contrast to the administration's narrative of improved civic infrastructure and sustainability in the border town.

 

Locals have expressed deep apprehension over the unchecked dumping, warning that the pristine waters of the Kishanganga — a vital ecological lifeline for the valley — are under direct threat.

 

"The river is not just a water body for us; it is our identity.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelIf this continues, we will lose both," a concerned resident told news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS).

 

Environmental experts caution that prolonged negligence could lead to contamination of the river, inflicting irreversible damage on the fragile ecosystem and the downstream communities dependent on it.

 

The worsening situation has sparked public outrage, with citizens demanding immediate intervention. Calls for robust enforcement of waste management protocols, sustained monitoring, and urgent cleanup drives have grown louder.

 

As one of north Kashmir's most picturesque regions, Gurez draws tourists for its unspoiled beauty. But residents fear that without swift action, environmental degradation may soon become an irreversible reality. (KNS)