Neglected Shounsh Khul canal evokes public outcry in Baramulla

Baramulla, Nov 24: The once-thriving Shounsh Khul irrigation canal, originating from the Nallah Ningli and serving over a dozen villages including Shrakwara, Dunghdara, Chanpora, Wagub, and Krankshivan, has fallen into a state of disrepair, leaving local residents distressed.

The canal, which historically irrigated vast expanses of paddy fields and catered to the needs of horticulture land, now presents a grim sight. Neglected for an extended period, the canal has not been desilted, allowing weeds to flourish and rendering a significant portion encroached at various points.

“The canal used to irrigate huge paddy fields and was a lifeline for the entire area starting from Wagoora to the lower belt of the Sangrama constituency,” said Farooq Ahmad, a local resident.

A concerned group of local residents expressed their dismay, highlighting the transformation of what was once a serene waterway into a cesspool of neglect. They lamented the canal’s current status, with villagers using it as a dumping ground for kitchen waste and refuse, making it virtually unusable.

Naseer Ahmad, a local resident said that, “This canal, which was once a lifeline for thousands of hectares of paddy land, has now become a receptacle for garbage. People have constructed latrines along its banks contributing to the foul odor that now pervades the area.”

The lack of desilting has been also another issue which has turned the canal into a garbage dump. The locals here said that in the absence of disiliting of the canal, the weeds had grown enormously, thus further hampering the canal’s functionality. The dire state of Shounsh Khul has led to a demand from the people of the area for its revival. The locals have urged the authorities to initiate immediate action for the restoration of the canal.