Sir,
There used to be various ponds, “talabs” and water bodies in Jammu, not only in the villages but in the city itself. These used to cater to the needs of the people like drinking, bathing, and similar purposes. These ponds were home to different types of water fowls, small ducks and other water birds-as also some flowery shrubs and weeds, presenting a pleasant view. It was thought unethical and a sin to pollute these ponds and wells and were kept clean and tidy. The elders nostalgically recollect the importance attached to these ponds but regret that most of them due to sheer neglect are either gone totally extinct or are fast drying up due to dumping of garbage of all hues.
Two of such instances can be seen-one, near Paloura temple where a large pond filled with water all the months of the year was alive till the mid 2000s but now is all dried up and fast coming up in level with the road to either get turned into a concrete ghost or a so called “park”. The other one is on the Janipur-Durga-Nagar road, opposite the Petrol pump. It used to be full of water till a few years back but now has dried up due to dumping of the garbage. Could proper care be taken by the authorities to prevent these ponds from dying permanently?
Yours etc……
Neelam Saraf
Katra
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