Ganderbal: The changed colour of water in nallah Sindh flowing through Ganderbal Monday triggered panic among the locals.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, locals said that the colour of the water of nallah Sindh from Sonamarg downward and flowing through Kangan upto Ganderbal had suddenly changed to foggy white on Monday morning.
As the news spread in the locality, many people rushed to the banks of the Sindh to witness a shift in its colour. “The upper layer of the water seemed white,” Aijaz Ahmed, 45, said.
He said that he had never seen such a phenomenon in his entire life.
Locals alleged that the outflow of tunneling by the APCO construction company near Gagengar area adds to pollution level in nallah Sindh.
They said that many villages were dependent on the river water for drinking and other purposes.
“The water also goes to our farmlands,” locals said.
They said that the nallah Sindh was favourable for trout and any harmful changes in it could be disastrous for the fish.
Meanwhile, the district administration deputed teams of Jal Shakti and Fisheries Departments to the area who are monitoring the situation.
Officials said that samples of the water had been taken for testing and the actual reasons would be known soon.
“One test report shows heavy silt load (total dissolved solids TDS) but no chemical substance has been detected,” a PHE official said.
Assistant Director Fisheries, Ganderbal, Salman Chalkoo told Greater Kashmir that as per the reports of the water samples collected by the Jal Shakti Department, there seem to be no chemicals in it.
However, he said that the level of TDS was high and could be a reason for the colour change.
Sub Divisional Magistrate Kangan, Javaid Ahmad Rather said that they had asked the Jal Shakti and Fisheries Departments to properly check and find out the reasons for this change in colour of water so that people can use it without fear.