Historic ponds drying up in key tourist hotspot

SANKHUWASABHA:  Dozens of ponds with historical and religious importance at Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale (TMJ) in Sankhuwasabha district are drying up. TMJ is also known as the capital of rhododendrons.

According to locals, dozens of ponds existed in TMJ area around two decades ago. However, many of the historic ponds, including Panch-Pokhari, Jor Pokhari and Khokin Pokhari have already dried up. Other ponds, including Gufa Pokhari, Lam Pokhari, Bhute Pokhari and Jhyau Pokhari, are also on the verge of drying up.

“A decade ago there were five ponds in the Panch Pokhari area. But not a single pond exists in the area,” said Prithak Pathway, a local. “The ponds have converted into ditches,” he said.

Similarly, as of today, houses have been built in Suke Pokhari area nearby Gufa bazar.

Likewise, two ponds in Jor Pokhari area have already dried up.

Urgen Lama, who moved to Jor Pokhari some 13 years ago, said, “When I moved to this place, muddy ditches were all that existed.”

Hari Prasad Khanal, another local, said Gufa Pokhari, the biggest pond in the area, is also drying up.

A few years ago, the pond was full of water, but the water level in the pond has receded.

“Migratory birds from far and wide came to the place and stayed in the area for months in the past. But these birds are not sighted in the area anymore as the ponds are drying up,” said 77-year-old Khanal. Bhojraj Limbu, a resident of Mangalbare village in Madimulkharka VDC-8, said that they have been facing an acute shortage of water. He said they do not have enough water to provide to their cattle. “We never faced water shortage when there were ponds in the area,” said Limbu.

Continued drought has led the ponds in the area to dry up, said Jwala Pokharel, a teacher at a primary school in Gufa Pokhari. Some locals attributed the situation to human encroachment of the ponds. Conservationists say the disappearance of the ponds has had a negative impact on the environment and biodiversity of the area.

“We do not have concrete facts but the disappearance of ponds has had an immensely negative impact on the biodiversity of the area,” said Laxman Tiwari, a member of the National Rhododendron Conservation and Management Committee.

Tiwari said the remaining ponds in the area would dry up soon if proper measures are not taken for their conservation.

Locals have also accused the authorities of indifference toward conserving the ponds in the area.

The Tourism Board has enlisted TMJ as one of the five key tourist destinations of the country. It covers an area of 558 sq km across Sankhuwasabha, Terhathum and Taplejung districts.

source: republica,13 may 2014