Pulwama: The Aripal Spring and Bulbul Spring, located in the Pulwama district of south Kashmir, are experiencing a concerning decline in water levels due to an extended period of dry winter weather, leading to water scarcity in multiple villages, reports said.
According to reports, both the Aripal Spring in the Tral area and the Bulbul Spring in Newa, Pulwama, have dried up, indicating the first recorded decline in the water levels in recent history.
Experts caution that if the dry winter spell continues more water bodies may dry up.
"The source of springs is groundwater, which originates from snowfall or rainfall. Due to the ongoing dry spell, groundwater levels decrease, causing springs and water bodies to recede," Dr. Sartaj Ahmad, an environmental expert told The Himalayan Post.
Moreover, officials from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) in Tral have called the drying up as a complete depletion of the spring with the Fisheries Department relocating its fish farm from Aripal Spring to Dobiwan and other locations.