Famed Achbal spring of Anantnag dries up first time in the history leaving local populace in complete distress. It’s water oozing capacity plumbed down to abysmal depths, making visible jagged pebbles. Fountains once hobnobbing with nature now lie mute and as if buried in a quiescent graves. Horrors of quench writ large on befuddled faces. Arms akimbo watching parched spring, with a fiendish twinkle in their eyes. Believed to be built by famous Mughal empress Nurjahan around 1620 , this water reservoir now lie in naked with water deficit. An elderly petite woman seemingly in late seventies cries for water scarcity. Quavering she is, her screams tapered off into a pathetic whines. She is seen thumping her disgruntled chest , wailing profusely. Her satin sobs had gone viral on social media, garnered rapt attention from netizens. Laments she :- Nagai Sharifa “traish kartha bandh” Diven buk. Mainay Qibley alama”. Oh Spring of ours why did you stopped giving us water? Oh my Lord listen our prayers. This is heartbreaking cry of this pious simple elderly Kashmiri woman.
First time ever since this spring has dried up due to unprecedented dry spell and minimal rainfall. There are apprehensions of drought like situation across the region. It provides water supply to 20 nearby villages. They solely depends on this for agricultural and orchards activities. Facing scarcity of water crisis, they rely on water tankers . 13 water supply schemes run on supply of water provided by this spring , thus worsening the circumstances of survival further more. As per metrological department there was around 80 percent of precipitation deficit during January and February season, worsening the situation further more. Lack of snowfall and scarce rainfall this winter have serious repercussions in streams flow. Farmers are advised to grow crops that require less quantity of water supply. They should prioritise pulses , millets , corn and beans in place of paddy. As per media reports Airpal spring situated in Tral Pulwama is facing the same fate alongwith other streams in the region. Aripath stream that originate from Shangus Kulgam has dried up as well , raising alarm of dry spell during harvest season of summer
Due to the continuous dry spell, Kashmir vale has witnessed massives fire incidents across various districts. 50 incidents were reported so for , including Baramulla, Bandipora, Badgam, Srinagar Pulwama, Rajouri and Poonch. Massive fire broke out in last fortnight in the Pinglish Shikargah wildlife and forest area of Tral. Had not the fire authorities reached on time , the entire forest would have been raged to ground. On 8 February Shankar Acharya hills captured fire, and was immediately extinguished by Firemen. Experts predicts water and power crisis in Summer.
Sooner the best Govt will have to adopt proactive approach for water management and conservation. Jal Shakti department have to deal with water crisis staring us nearby coming days . May this pall of gloom of uncertainty of water shortage vanish soon ! May these gushing water streams start their flow like before ! May our heartfelt prayers be heard soon !.
May our hollers to our supreme lord be accepted. Prayers galore 
The wrtiter is a PG in Sociology through IGNOU and can be reached at [email protected]
