Srinagar, November 6:
A wave of concern and opposition has risen in the Nishat area as environmentalists, religious leaders, and locals have voiced strong resistance to the proposed 30–45 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) near Gupt Ganga, a site revered for its spiritual significance and pristine ecology.
In a detailed deliberation held on Tuesday, Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam and Congress leader Er Danish Reshi engaged in a thoughtful discussion with local residents and environmental observers, warning that the proposed project could become an “ecological blunder” in one of the Valley’s most sacred and environmentally fragile zones.
“Gupt Ganga is not just a stream; it is a sacred identity — a symbol of purity, devotion, and heritage. To place a waste treatment plant in its proximity is both an environmental and spiritual insult,” observed Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, emphasizing the need to protect the sanctity of the place revered by generations.
The proposed waste-cum-fertilizer unit, according to residents, threatens to alter the fragile ecological balance of the region. Experts warn that the plant could emit foul odour, contaminate groundwater, and disturb the natural flow of Gupt Ganga, affecting both aquatic and human life. The surrounding Nishat–Shalimar belt, often described as the “crown of Kashmir’s tourism circuit,” depends heavily on its scenic charm, cleanliness, and spiritual calm — all of which could be endangered by this project.
Expressing his firm opposition, Er Danish Reshi stated,
“Gupt Ganga has always been fragrant with faith and devotion — not with waste and pollution. Installing a massive sewage unit here will transform the most beautiful part of the world into a corridor of contamination. There are alternate scientific options available; the government must listen to ecological reason, not bureaucratic convenience.”
Residents of Nishat, Brein, and Gupt Ganga expressed deep anxiety over the potential decline in air quality, water purity, and tourism value. Local environmentalists have demanded that the project be relocated to a scientifically suitable zone away from habitation and heritage sites.
The opposition comes amid growing debates over urban waste management in Srinagar, where ecological preservation and infrastructure development often clash. Experts caution that development without environmental assessment could cause irreversible damage to the Valley’s natural reservoirs and cultural landmarks.
As discussions continue, the voices from Gupt Ganga echo a shared sentiment — that progress must not come at the cost of purity, and that faith and environment must coexist, not compete.
