The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government has acknowledged in the Legislative Assembly that untreated wastewater from drains in south Kashmir’s Anantnag, Bijbehara and Mattan towns is being discharged into nearby streams. While the government did not directly confirm that this waste flows into the Jhelum, local nallahs ( rivulets or streams ) are all tributaries of the river — Kashmir’s primary drinking water source — raising concerns about contamination.
The disclosure came in a written response tabled in the J&K Assembly on March 11, 2025 from the state’s Housing and Urban Development Department, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. A query was raised by Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency.
A copy of the response is with Down To Earth (DTE).
Veeri had sought details about the drainage networks constructed and maintained by municipal bodies and the Urban Environmental Engineering Department (UEED) in these towns.
In its reply, the government stated: “The drains were constructed by both municipalities as well as UEED. The network of drains is interconnected wherever possible. The refuse is finally neutralised into the nearby nallahs, whereas the sewage from households is carried to STPs [Sewage Treatment Plants] for its treatment wherever the sewerage network has been connected to STP.”
The reply also claimed that one STP of 4 million litres a day capacity was fully functional at Mehandi Kadal Anantnag town.
Speaking to this reporter, Veeri criticised the government’s casual acknowledgement of untreated discharges. “The very institutions meant to protect our environment are contributing to its degradation,” he said. “Every drain ultimately flows into the Jhelum, violating the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974. I demand accountability from the municipal bodies of Anantnag, Bijbehara and Mattan.”
The National Conference legislator also questioned the status of the sewage treatment infrastructure in the region. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote: “The administration’s response was riddled with flaws and misinformation. Where is the STP of Mehandi Kadal, Anantnag? Does it even exist, is it even functional? Our water resources are under serious threat, and the situation is alarming. Jhelum has turned into a carrier of wastewater.”
Environmental activists echoed the concerns. Mushtaq Pahalgami, an environmentalist based in Pahalgam, told this reporter that waterbodies across South Kashmir are suffering from unchecked sewage inflows.
“Not a single functional STP exists to address the pollution in Jhelum. Even funds allocated under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) have failed to curb contamination. The authorities must be held accountable,” he said.