by Syed Shadab Ali Gillani
SRINAGAR: Until recently, Dara, located on the outskirts of Srinagar beyond Harwan, was a popular weekend retreat. The cold, fast-moving canal that ran through the area drew city residents for bathing, picnics, and treks into the hills. The access path to the canal was well-known and frequently used.
That path is now closed. A wire strung across the entrance and a signboard from the Jal Shakti Department declare the area a “Prohibited Zone.” Bathing, washing, and littering are barred. While entry is not technically forbidden, the canal can no longer be used the way it once was.
Residents of Harwan Dara say the restriction was imposed just over a week ago, following complaints from downstream villages that rely on the canal for drinking water. The stream supplies water to 18 to 20 villages across this belt of central Kashmir, feeding tanks and pipelines.
In recent summers, locals observed a surge in visitors who bathed, washed clothes, and even brought animals into the canal. There were also instances of alcohol consumption and discarded bottles.
“We used to see bottles, wrappers, and sometimes even dogs being bathed in the same stream,” said Nazeer Ahmad, a resident. “This is the water we drink.”
According to locals, the turning point came with reports of illness. “Children in some downstream villages fell sick,” Nazeer said. “Families suspected the canal water.” A group of residents compiled the complaints and approached the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Srinagar.
Soon after, the Rural Water Supply Division of the Jal Shakti Department issued an order prohibiting all non-essential activity in the canal. Signboards were installed, and local volunteers began monitoring access.
Unlike many official restrictions, this one is being enforced not by police but by residents. As vehicles approach the entry point, they are turned away. Visitors are informed about the health concerns, the government’s directive, and the community’s collective decision.
“We sit here daily,” Nazeer said. “We don’t allow people up unless they have trekking permission from the Wildlife Department or local police.”
Those seeking trekking access are advised to approach the Harwan Police Station or the Wildlife Warden’s office. Otherwise, the route is closed to casual visitors.
This summer, the water flow has also declined. Once a forceful current, the canal now moves sluggishly, with dry patches along the streambed. Locals attribute the drop to lower snowfall and erratic rainfall, part of the broader climatic shifts affecting water sources across the Valley.
“This year, many drains have dried up,” Nazeer said. “Our paddy fields are affected. Drinking water is in short supply.” The reduced flow has made the remaining water more vulnerable to contamination.
A persistent concern for the locals has been the absence of a filtration plant. “In 2016, a water tank was built here, but there is no filtration unit,” said Ghulam Qasim, a resident. “We’ve been waiting for clean water for years. It’s a basic right.”
Another resident noted a change in water quality since the restrictions began. “Earlier, the water stank. It was impure. Now, with visitors gone, the water has regained its purity.”
Dara is not the only place where water bodies have been closed to the public. Along the Nallah Sindh, bathing is now banned in stretches near Vail, Mamar, Gagangeer, Hung, and Sonmarg. But in those areas, the concern is drowning — several fatal accidents in recent summers prompted safety-driven prohibitions.
In Dara, the issue is not safety but pollution, and the essential need for clean drinking water.
There is no official police deployment here. No fences or sirens. Just a signboard, and a few residents who politely turn visitors away.
“We’re not here to fight,” Nazeer said. “But this water is ours. We need it.”
Once filled with laughter and selfies, Dara now sits quietly. The canal still flows, but not for recreation. What was once a picnic spot has become vital infrastructure. For now, the water is watched over not by guards, but by the very people who drink it.
