Villagers launch community-led cleanliness campaign in Panzath

Younus Rashid
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30 Jan 2026

Panzath (Qazigund), Jan 30: Residents of Panzath village in south Kashmir’s Qazigund area have launched a community-led cleanliness campaign aimed at protecting their village and its water bodies, with locals voluntarily collecting household waste and disposing of it at a designated site outside the habitation. The initiative, started without any government or agency support, saw villagers bringing garbage from their homes and loading it onto tractors and vehicles as part of an organised effort to clean streets and the Panzath Spring. As the sound of a garbage collection tractor echoed in the background, residents said the campaign was driven by concern for the environment and public health. Panzath is known for its numerous natural springs that provide drinking water and irrigate nearby agricultural and horticultural land. Locals said pollution and improper waste disposal posed a growing threat to these water sources, prompting the village to act on its own. Ashiq Hussain Rather, a local volunteer, said the campaign was aimed at ensuring proper waste management at the village level. “Cleanliness is an essential part of faith and daily life. Our objective is to collect household waste and dispose it beneath the earth at a site outside the village so that we protect our water sources and prevent diseases,” he said. He added that people could not depend entirely on the government for such issues. “The government cannot reach every corner. It is our responsibility to protect our surroundings, rivers and streams, which are shrinking because of pollution,” he said. “Every villager contributes Rs 100 monthly as charges for tractor service and manpower for the collection and proper disposal of waste,” Rather added. He said the waste is dumped in pits outside the village, while non-biodegradable material is burnt. He added that villagers are willing to cooperate with any government department, whether the municipal authorities or the BDO office, that comes forward to support the initiative. Another resident, Latif Ahmad, said it was encouraging to see the initiative begin from within the village. “Panzath is already famous for its clean springs. This drive will help keep the village green and clean. It is the need of the hour and everyone must share the responsibility,” he said, adding that the tractor used for waste collection was hired through villagers’ own contributions. Elders of the village welcomed the effort and said it would help maintain cleanliness while inspiring other villages to take similar steps for environmental protection. During the drive, youths played a song composed locally, calling on people to put garbage into collection vehicles instead of dumping it on roads or near streams, and reminding residents that keeping Panzath Spring clean was a shared duty. Villagers said the campaign would continue in the coming days, with a focus on safeguarding water bodies and maintaining a clean and healthy environment through collective action.