Rani Da Talab | Lost Ponds of Jammu | History
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Like most other growing cities of the country, Jammu is fraught with serious water crisis in times to come, if its people did not learn to respect the existing sources of water and use water more judiciously.
While Tawi, the mainstay of water needs of the city since ages has been the victim of city's criminal negligence, history reveals that people have lost many sources of water of ever due to their ignorance and neglect.
In last five decades, numerous water bodies in the city and its outskirts have disappeared- Some making way for public parks and others, disappearing into ever growing jungle of concrete. The greed to encroach upon every inch of land available drank the once well kept talabs of the city one by one.
Rani Talab, Pucca Talab, Khateekan Talab and several others have been lost in the oblivion and several others have been reduced to easily accessible dumping sights. Present generations know little about these talabs which once dotted the city's domains and stood testimony to its rich heritage.
While these water bodies have become history, there are still couple of ponds which are fighting a losing battle for their survival. One at Dhok Paloura and another one just a hundred meters away on the main Janipur road can be saved from unceremonious death if efforts are made by the people of the city and the urban agencies in unison. It is a sad state of affairs to describe that our bio diversity goes disturbed tremendously by ulterior motives of the selfish people. Not only our forests are damaged, our rivers stand polluted and same is the fate of our ponds. Since long these ponds in Jammu have been serving us in one way or the other. They were source of water for us. These ponds would also serve us as a source for irrigating our lands whenever we needed so. In hot days our cattle easily move towards the ponds and drink to their fill. It is also true to state here that pond water was used in house hold preparations also before inception of the tap water in and around Jammu.
Our water bodies living in these ponds have also disappeared and are nowhere now in existance. This is very unfortunate that we have lost a good number of water borne plants too. These ponds besides being a source of attraction, also used to serve us for washing clothes and bathing purpose all along. Green grass and natural vegetation used to grow around these ponds which served as habitation for fowls.
The number of ponds in Jammu have almost decreased and many of them have even disappeared. This trend has damaged the picturesque beauty of Jammu.
If our people want to preserve this natural gift, some urgent steps need to be taken in this direction. It is our first and foremost duty to look after them and try to make them free from garbage, dirt and filth. They should not become place dumping of garbage etc.
Moreover, it is our moral duty to preserve them for future generation and also for ecological balance.