Avtar Bhat
ANANTNAG, Apr 15: Brengi stream a lifeline for thousands of farmers in four tehsils of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district has turned into a complete desert after the river developed a sinkhole mysteriously in its upstream at village Gratwalpora, Wandevalgam during February this year.
The Brengi, which irrigates over 10,000 hectares of land as per the locals of Breng, Shahbad, Kothar and Anantnag segments of Anantnag district has presently turned dry and this has added to the worries of thousands of farmers in the area who are totally dependent on irrigation of their agriculture land as well as orchards on this stream from times immemorial.
Over 50 villages comprising of four Assembly segments of erstwhile Kokernag, and Kothhar constituencies, Dooru and Anantnag Assembly segments are totally affected after over 50 percent water in the river got drained through the sinkhole. As the Kharief season is drawing near and farmers need water for irrigating their fields to sow paddy seed the main agriculture crop in Kashmir, they fear worst in case Government failed to fully plug the sinkhole and restore the water in the stream which is one of the main tributaries of river Jehlum to maintain its normal discharge.
During this season of the year when snow melts on peaks of mountains, Brengi would usually roar with its natural flow of water and it was difficult to cross the stream on foot singlehandedly but after the water got drained out through sinkhole the river is totally dry in down streams, said the local farmers for whom the sinkhole has become a big catastrophe.
It may be recalled that panic spread in the entire area after the river developed a sinkhole on February 11 this year and the teams of scientists, geologists and other experts rushed to the spot to find out the reason of water getting drained from the river. The Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department on the directives of district and divisional administration took immediate steps in plugging the sinkhole to restore the water in the river but the farmers said that despite the Department’s hard efforts over 50 percent water still gets drained through the sinkhole with the result the river has turned dry below the Sagam area of Kokernag tehsil.
The source of Brengi nallah are three rills including Chattroo Nallah, Bradu Bal Nallah flowing from Simthan Top and Margan Top Nallah in Kishtwar district of Jammu region. While Bradehbal Nallah and Margantop Nallah join the stream at Bidhihad in Daksum area of Kokernag tehsil, Chatru nallah joins it at Wail where from the stream turns into Brengi.
As per farmers the river has been a life line of the area from times immemorial as it irrigates thousands hectares of agriculture land in the down streams of Kokernag, Dooru and Kothar and up streams of Anantnag tehsil. They said after the river developed the mysterious sinkhole in February this year, tonnes of trout fish which were being reared in the stream by the J&K Fisheries Department were caught by the people after the river turned dry thereby causing a huge loss to the Fisheries Department as well.
Though the officials in Irrigation Department said that there is no immediate irrigation problem to the farmers, however showed apprehension that the crisis can emerge in near future when the demand of irrigation water grows after sowing of paddy seed next month.
The farmers of the area said that in normal times the people were facing lot of irrigation water scarcity during peak Rabbi seasons especially in the months of June and July when the paddy crop needs lot of water. This time the crisis may precipitate in case immediate attention was not paid in plugging the sinkhole and restoration of water in the river.
They said that near Hiller the Brengi gets divided into two parts while the main stream flows via Hiller -Aaddehrun and its branch flows via Hadpura, Hakura. Farmers said that the Hadpura branch of the river has totally turned dry from Damhal Koshpura since the month of March while 20 to 25 percent discharge is in the main Brengi stream flowing from village Hiller onwards.
Ghulam Nabi president, Kissan Council J&K and State Secretary CPI (M) has urged the authorities to take immediate steps in restoration of water in the stream so that the farmers are not put to any problem as the sowing season of paddy crop is nearing. He even warned agitation by farmers in case the Government failed to act quickly and find an everlasting solution to the problem.
Abdul Rahim Rather, Ex MLA Kokernag and senior leader Apni Party said that during seventies when several earthquakes rocked Kashmir the Brengi stream developed sinkholes in this very area and later the farmers from downstreams used to plug the same through cement and sand bags. He said it is an old problem and the authorities need to seek the suggestions from geologists and scientists to find an everlasting solution to it.
Rather said if problem continues in the future as well it can spell a doom for thousands of farmers right from Kokernag town to Breenth and Shehelpur in erstwhile Kothar constituency. Rather as well as Ghulam Nabi have sought immediate intervention of Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha in the matter.
Ghulam Nabi Adigam a senior NC leader and a progressive farmer of the area has also shown his concern over the development of mysterious sinkhole in the river causing worries to farmers of the entire belt who are totally dependent on irrigation of their land on the stream.
When contacted Chief Engineer I&FC Kashmir , Naresh Kumar said that sinkhole was developed in the river on February 11 and the district administration and his Department took immediate steps in plugging the hole where from entire water got depleted. He said he is seeking detailed information from his engineers and in case there is still any problem and water continues to get depleted through the hole the Department will take immediate steps in plugging the same.
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