Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Mar 2: A twenty kilometer heritage trout rearing stream flowing from Sakhdas to Nanil in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district is at the verge of extinction owing to years of encroachment and lack of will from administration.
The stream was once 80-feet wide and would house millions of trout fishes. But time has taken a toll on this stream and it has been reduced to a mere 6-feet sewage drain. Over the years people have encroached upon it by constructing cowsheds, houses and shops on it.
A local, Ghulam Mohammad Khanday, 90, while recalling the past said if anyone’s duck would have mistakenly paddled into the waters of this stream the owner was penalised and had to Rs 12 as penalty during Dogra rule. “Maharaja Hari Singh used spend summers here with his family,” he said.
Maharaja had also constructed two palaces at the two extremes of the stream and ironically one of the palaces serves as trout breeding centre which is lying defunct since devastating floods of 2014.
One of the main tourist attractions was Akhnoor Park where Maharaja used to hold public meeting known as ‘Darbar’ where public grievances were heard. “It could have put our area into tourism map and helped the unemployed youth. But there are no traces left of that park. Official apathy has snatched this asset from us,” said a resident, Nisar Ahmad.
Assistant Director, Fisheries, Mohammd Sidique Shah said September 2014 floods have blocked the source of this stream and that is the reason it is dry. “We have written to Revenue and Flood Control Departments and are waiting for their response”, he added.
When asked about encroachment, Shah said: “I agree that there have been huge encroachments on this stream but High Court has passed an order to clear the embankments and I am hopeful that we will be able to revive the prestige of this stream back.”
Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Muneer-ul-Islam when contacted said: “I have never heard of this place. Let me first check and get back to you.”
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