Qazigund (Anantnag), June 28: Residents of Panzath village in south Kashmir’s Qazigund area on Sunday launched a cleanliness and de-weeding drive to revive the historic Panzath Nag spring following reports of fish mortality in the water body.
The drive saw participation from local residents along with officials from the Jal Shakti, Irrigation and Flood Control and Fisheries departments, besides members of Auqaf, who jointly cleared nearly a one-kilometre stretch of the spring by removing weeds and accumulated waste.
Panzath, known as the “Land of 500 Springs,” is fed by a network of freshwater springs that provide drinking and irrigation water to several villages in the Qazigund belt.
A delegation of the Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC), led by former Governor’s advisor and retired IAS officer Khurshid Ahmad Ganai, also visited the site and appreciated the community-led conservation effort. He, however, stressed the need for coordinated action by departments to address possible contamination and fish deaths.
Retired Chief Conservator of Forests Manzoor Ahmad Tak said the large-scale fish mortality indicated ecological stress in the spring and called for urgent conservation measures. Locals also attributed the deterioration to pollution and unchecked waste disposal, urging authorities to take sustained steps for protection of the water body.
Assistant Engineer Jal Shakti Division Qazigund, Javaid Ahmad Ganie, said the drive was carried out jointly by departments and residents, adding that efforts were underway to safeguard the spring that supplies water to nearly 30 to 35 villages.
Residents also called for regular maintenance of Panzath Nag and proposed its development as a tourist destination while ensuring ecological preservation.
