‘Save traditional water springs’

Chamba, January 14

Chamba naturalist Navneet Chowfla, who is a Jeevan Raksha Padak awardee, has raised the issue of conservation and preservation of traditional water springs, including ‘panihars’, which are the lifelines of locals residing in the hills of Chamba district.

Submitting a memorandum to IPH Minister Mahender Singh Thakur here recently, Chowfla had a conversation with the minister about the importance and advantage of having traditional water springs. He said the traditional water springs were worshipped by people when galvanised iron pipes were not there, adding that the locals used to walk distances to fetch water, but now these were considered things of the past. He suggested the need to restore the remaining traditional water springs. “Chamba natural water sources had to bear the brunt of excavation of tunnels for the hydropower projects. Also, many suffered as age-old practices were not being followed,” Chowfla added. — OC