A heritage site has been turned into a garbage dump
Heritage springs dry up in Pattan
Pattan: Centuries old springs in Pattan town have dried up and become reservoirs for stinking and stagnant rain water and garbage due to negligence by the state government, local residents said.
Popularly called as Sikh Naag and Musalman Naag, the two springs in historical Pattan town have dried up after decades of neglect. The stone monuments over these springs are also in a derelict state, locals said.
The centuries old stone monument built around the source of Sikh Naag is submerged under stagnant, algae covered rainwater littered with plastic bottles and other wastes. The Municipal Committee Pattan has turned the premises of the spring into a garbage dumping site.
“Those who must be preserving monuments are in deep slumber and nature has started to take revenge by stopping water,” said Salim Farooq Wani.
Seventy year old Muhammad Ismail recalls old times when Hindus would perform Puja in one of the springs and use the other for ablution. He said the water from springs was also used for irrigating paddy fields.
People believe Rural Development Department’s “renovation work” on the springs a few years ago proved the proverbial last nail in coffin. Former Member Parliament Abdur Rashid Shaheen had allocated Rs 12 lakhs for repairs of the springs from his constituency development fund, but the locals said the department had no expertise to work on heritage sites.
The residents have requested the Archeological Survey of India for maintenance of these springs. “Pattan town has been capital of Kashmir in 9th century. Presence of two temples under control of ASI shows its importance. The springs have always been neglected,” the letter from Citizens’ Welfare Council Pattan to the Director General of ASI reads.
(Greater Kashmir)