is the seepage of polluted water into the water bodies of the area making it unfit for irrigation or domestic usage. However, two sedimentation plants were started to prevent further pollution of water bodies.
”The agricultural land was devastated by pollution and the animals which consumed water from these water bodies needed vet care frequently” says Irshad Ahmad, a local. Though the residences are sparsely scattered in the area, the blasting carried out has also caused damage to the buildings.
Despite all these troubles, the ambitious Banihal-Qazigund tunnel project is likely to change the economic landscape of these areas. It will not only save hundreds of lives which are consumed by the avalanche prone NH1A highway yearly but will also provide employment to thousands of jobless people in these areas by providing an impetus to the trade sector.
