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The main source of water for a number of supply schemes in and around Rajouri town as well as the filtration plant in the town, Darhali river, which flows through the town is dying slowly,

while the government and local populace seem unbothered. The river body has become a garbage dumping site in the Gujjar Mandi area. Heaps of polythene bags are getting bigger in it, with

each passing day. The river, named after Darhal valley of Rajouri from as it originates from the base of higher mountains, flows into Rajouri town and joins Suktoh river near Tariq bridge,

located along the Jammu Poonch highway. Reports revealed that the river is the basic source of water for more than ten water supply schemes, which are run by the public health engineering

department in and around Rajouri town. The river also supplies water to the filtration plant of the public health engineering department located at Dhani Dhar locality, from where water is

supplied to almost half of the town. In approximately the two-kilometre-stretch, from Darhali bridge to Tariq bridge, the river can be seen dying due to garbage dumping. “The locals thrown

in garbage, mostly polythene bags, from their houses into the river in this stretch on almost a daily basis. Not only the locals, but the workers (sweepers) of the municipal committee, can

also be seen throwing garbage that they collect from the streets into the river every morning,” a local man, wishing anonymity, said. Mohammad Azad, a resident of Gujjar Mandi Bela, said,

“It is a very serious issue, but unfortunately, neither the concerned authorities nor the local people are paying any concern. They are silently murdering the Darhali river.” He said that

the river is severely polluted under the Abdullah bridge, Gujjar Mandi. Another local, Mohammad Tazeem, said, “The river stretch, under the Abdullah bridge, is home to heaps of garbage. It

is very unfortunate that the same water is being used by the people for their daily requirements.” Another local, Sahil Kumar, said, “On one hand, people are murdering the river by throwing

garbage into it and on the other hand, the concerned authorities seem unbothered.” On being contacted by Greater Kashmir, divisional pollution control board officer, Mohan Sanehi, said, “We

are initiating efforts of prosecution under solid waste management plan to act against those polluting the river.” “We have also prepared a report and the higher authorities have been

intimated,” the officer added.