Many get silver coins, gold ornaments from river
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, May 5: As the water level in river Chenab decreased to hardly one feet, after the Indian authorities stopped the flow of water at Salal and Baglihar dams over the mighty river, the people of Akhnoor town and several upstream villages of the Sub Division and Reasi district were seen crossing the river today.
Click here to watch video
The people of Akhnoor today woke up with the surprise to see the river almost dry. After coming to know about the news, many people of the town including women and children rushed towards Jia Pota Ghat and near Pandav cave and Gurdwara river banks. Scores of people were seen making videos with their mobile phones while other were seen crossing the river.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Some youth were seen praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi on stopping the flow of river water to Pakistan and raising slogans in support of Modi and India. It apparently, turned the occasion of amusement for many as the people specially the children gathered at the bank of the river, depicting the occasion like a fair.
The police party from local police station arrived at the river site and warned the people against crossing the Chenab on foot at Akhnoor after the river recorded its lowest water discharge and attracted hundreds of people from the historic town and villagers.
On this occasion some people were seen searching for gold and silver ornaments and coins. Many of them even managed to get some gold ornaments and silver coins.
The drop in water level infact was attributed to the river’s flow being restricted through the Baglihar and the Salal dams in Ramban and Reasi districts.
The Centre announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which has governed the use of the Indus river and its tributaries between India and Pakistan since 1960, in wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terrorists’ attack in which 26 people most of them tourists were killed.
After conducting a de-silting operation last week, the gates of the Baglihar and the Salal dams were closed on Monday to refill the reservoirs, leading to a considerable drop in the Chenab downstream, especially in the Akhnoor sector, an official of NHPC claimed.
The reduced flow led to hundreds of people thronging the river banks to take videos while crossing the Chenab on foot at many places.
Sensing danger, police parties led by officers fanned out to clear the people as the water level started rising again late afternoon.
Police personnel were seen using the public address system, warning people against crossing the river on foot.
“There has been rain in the catchment area and a sudden water-level increase is expected,” an official said, requesting the people to clear the area.
Local villagers said they had never witnessed the water flow decline to such a level.
“The IWT suspension allowed the Government to initiate this flood- and drought-like cycle to teach Pakistan a lesson. They should know that they cannot run away after murdering innocents every time,” a local youth of Akhnoor said.
A litte water had remained in the river. Many locals including women and children were seen walking in the shallow (below knee) river water. They expressed that for the first time they have seen such a scene in their lives.
Even in Barandari, Dera Baba Banda Bahadur and other areas of Reasi the people were seen crossing the river. The same was the scene at Ramban and Sangaldan areas since yesterday. Some wreckages of the vehicles which had plunged in the river after accident, were also noticed on the river bed at a few places. However, no dead body of the missing people could be spotted in Ramban, Reasi and Akhnoor areas, a police official said.
Meanwhile, the authorities at Baglihar and Salal opened a few gates of the dams on Monday afternoon and the water level started increasing in the river.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
