Kashmir's polluted paradise: Unregulated tourism threatens rivers in Pahalgam

Water pollution has emerged as a major environmental challenge in Kashmir, threatening its abundant water resources. A video uploaded by PDP leader Iltija Mufti from Pahalgam, showing garbage littered in a river during a tourism promotion, has ignited a debate on unregulated tourism in eco-fragile zones. For years, places like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and Sonmarg have seen a tourism boom, leading to tons of garbage, including plastic waste, accumulating on riverbanks. This issue is described as a “clear and present danger,” with experts linking water pollution to extreme weather variations and flash floods that have caused havoc. The situation highlights the urgent need for sustainable tourism to protect the region's environment, which cannot be at the cost of its fragile ecology.