Nala Farozpora that emanates from high altitude area of north Kashmir flows through several villages of Tangmarg area and was for centuries sustaining the local people’s requirements. Most of the people used to drink the rivulet’s water directly without using any filtration methods.
However, over the years, the water has lost its sheen and people have abandoned its domestic use. Residents of several villages of Tangmarg area said that from the past several years some people including government agencies are dumping garbage on the banks of Farozpora Nala due to which its clear greenish water is changing colour. This year hundreds of non-local herdsmen pitched their tents on its banks, which became another source of water pollution.
Gulam Mohammad Khan, a local resident said that they have time and again approached the relevant government officials for the fencing of this blue water stream at places where it meanders through residential areas but they did not do anything except offering assurances. He said that former SDM Tangmarg visited the rivulet area and issued instructions to the concerned agencies to avoid dumping garbage along the banks. But the instructions did not make any difference on the ground.