Dying lakes in Kashmir gets much needed breather from NGO

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Jammu and Kashmir has undertaken the responsibility of reviving fresh water springs in the valley, which are linked to history but have been dumped with garbage and are treated like trash bins.

The NGO is now working to restore a spring located in a residential area in Srinagar,

The NGO's efforts has brought much needed cheer to the residents who had been living there for the past 40 to 50 years.

They are simply overjoyed with the idea of reviving the spring as they would once again be able to fetch clean water and bathe as well. They also expressed their willingness to help conserve these springs.

"Many natural springs of our valley became the victims of the insurgency. This spring was also one of them. They (NGO) have taken an initiative to clean it and they are making full efforts. We will also help them. We hope that these assets, jewels of the valley will be retrieved and the restoration work happens at the end," said a resident, Ishfaq Ahmad.

The work is already underway to make fresh water available in the spring and beautify it by constructing stairs and a wall.

Officials who are involved in the conservation of the spring have sounded optimistic when they dug into it. They found existence of fresh water emerging from within the ground.

"This spring is many years old. The old people living here will tell you. They used to take water from this spring. But with time and carelessness of people, this spring turned into garbage bin. It got choked and almost disappeared," said an official of lake conservation organisation, Manzoor Ahmad.

Kashmir was once dubbed as the Switzerland of the east. It was once a Mecca for climbers, skiers, honeymooners and filmmakers drawn to the state's soaring peaks, fruit orchards and timber houseboats bobbing on Dal Lake in Srinagar.