Rejuvenation without demarcation a futile exercise:- Locals, Will take up issue with Archeology department:- MC Khrew
Srinagar, May 27 :- Municipal Committee Khrew in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district has proposed to rejuvenate a historical spring ‘Nagbal’ located in heart of khrew town.
An official of the Urban local bodies told KNO that Municipal Committee Khrew has written to Executive Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Kakapora Pulwama to prepare an estimate for rejuvenation of the Nagbal Spring.
He said that EO MC has requested executive engineer to prepare estimate/DPR for rejuvenation that is to remove slit, mud and small stones etc to the tune of 30 lacs tentatively.
However, locals said that rejuvenation without demarcation is a futile exercise and won’t bear any fruits so it is just wastage of time.
They said need of the hour is that authorities must go for demarcation of the spring so that actual parameters of the spring can be ascertained.
Moreover there is need that its out fall channel be also deepened and widened as this is also choked so that desilting of spring can prove beneficial, they said.
Locals said that Nagbal spring was known for fresh water and the whole area was using the water for drinking purposes. However, locals blame pollution mainly generated by various cement factories located in the area for polluting the spring.
Notably, besides providing drinking water to the locals the spring is the main source of irrigation for the orchards and paddy fields in the area.
At present 60 percent of our irrigational needs in the area are dependend on this spring, however if efforts are not taken at an earliest, in coming years we will lose this and the only source of water,” the locals said.
This spring was known for fishes as well however, due to pollution, their number has drastically come down and authorities as well people are watching as mute spectators, locals said.
Executive officer Municipal committee Khrew A R Shah told KNO that the spring is located in the middle of the Town Khrew and was once a source of fresh & pure water, irrigated hectares of agriculture land.
He said that the spring has its own religious importance, pilgrims/devotees visiting Shri Jawalji Asthapan take holy bath during the annual festival of “Har CHadooh and the spring was once the habitat of aquatic life like fishes, their population is dying on every passing day due to accumulation of slit, mud and other material from last many years.
He said MC Khrew has conducted many cleanliness drives on number of occasions to remove slit, mud and other accumulated material from the said spring.
He further added that the decision of demarcation lies with Archeology department as it is a historical site and will take up this issue with them.
