Shakeel A Khan Early Times Report budgam, Feb 26: The flood channel which directly flows into the Hokersar Lake is giving sleepless nights to the inhabitants of many villages in this central Kashmir district. The dam which was constructed in sixties has breaches at many places and it continues to scare the people. The dam which was constructed with an aim to give protection to the people living near the wetland isn't serving the purpose since the level of the wetland has risen because of the siltation that has taken place over the years. "Since the flood channel flows directly into the wetland and as a result of this the level of the wetland has been rising with the each passing day. At some places, the wetland and the dam are of the same height posing serious threat to the life and property of the people of the area," said Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din from Hakermulla. The people of the area many times approached the authorities to come out with a solution to this problem but despite repeated assurances, nothing of this kind has happened so far, Mohi-ud-Din added while talking to the Early Times. There has been no dredging of the stream which flows through this wetland and as a result of this, the flood water in September last back flowed giving anxious movements to the people. What has worsened the situation; the water which comes from Beerwah also enters this wetland. The people of the area say that approached the concerned authorities to seek an end to their miseries and in this regard an 'Awami Darbaar' was also conducted by then DC of the district, Mohammad Rafi but that too failed to yield any result. "Then DC Budgam conducted Awami Darbaar at Soibugh in 2011 and the people of the area were given assurances that the authorities will come out with a solution to this burning issue. But after four years not a simple step has been taken in this regard," said Abdul Rahim from Budgam. It wasn't a difficult job for the authorities, as Malik went on saying, what the people desired of the authorities was to make the water in the wetland to flow into the flood channel that passes through Narbal and culminates in the Wular Lake. The people of the villages like Soibugh, Hakermulla, Galwanpora, Gotapora, Sebdan, Check-I- Ishardas, Aarath, Narbal, Sozeth, Kawoosa Chak, Kawoosa Khalsa and many other villages say that the advances made by the water clearly show that they will be displaced from their villages, sooner than later. These people further said that the agricultural activities are not taking place since their land remains under water for the whole year. "We have lost the means of survival since no agricultural activity takes place in our area," said the people of these villages. |