Nallah Sindh

Nallah Sindh Urdu: ﻧﺎﻟﮧ ﺳﻨﺪﮪ , Kashmiri:ﺳﻴﻨﺪ is a river in Ganderbal district of Kashmir valley of Jammu and Kashmir state of India. It is a major tributary of Jehlum river and it is 102 kilometres long.

Geography

Nallah Sindh river has It‘s source in Metch Hoi glacier Metch Hoi“ Kashmiri:-ﻣﻴﮋ ﮬﺁﻭ ,means earthy stream, ( as it passes through a deep gorge of Zojila the water is sandy, so is its name) at an elevation of 5045 metres, at the rear side of Amarnath temple mountain, south of Zojila pass. It flows through a deep ravine of Zojila southwards upto Baltal where it joins a tributary Amarnath stream. It flows mostly westwards alongwith NH 1D and is fed by many glacial streams on its way to Ganderbal town. The major tributaries of the river are Shitkadi Nallah, Gund Nallah, Surfraw Nallah^[1] and Wangath Nallah.^[2] It is navigable from Ganderbal town onwards as the waterflow slowes down. It joins Jehlum river at Shadipora^[3] 17 Kilometres North West from Srinagar city. Nallah Sindh passes through a famous tourist destination Sonamarg where River Rafting Tournaments on the river are being organised yearly by the Tourism Department of Jammu and Kashmir.^[4] It is the only river in Jammu and Kashmir on which three Hydroelectric Power plants are functional. Besides, the waters of the river are used for Irrigation by way of different canals^[5] and for drinking through water treatment plants. The river is a natural habitat of different kinds of fishes, especially trout.

Major Projects on Nallah Sindh

• Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power project 1st Sumbal.^[6]
• Upper Sindh Hydroelectric Power Project 2nd Kangan.^[7]
• Lower Sindh Hydroelectric Power project Ganderbal.^[8]
• Rangil Water Treatment Plant.^[9]

Major Bridges

• Wayil Road Bridge of NH 1D.
• Duderhama Road Bridge, connecting Ganderbal town.

Trout fishing on the edge of destruction

• The extraction of sand/bajri by engagement of heavy machines is destroying the natural habitat of trout and other fishes.^[10]
• Wastes from residential houses and camps of security forces on the banks of the river, use of pesticides, DDT and insecticides by farmers kills many trout fishes everyday. The change in topography leads to destruction of aquatic fauna of Nallah Sindh.
• In various riverine villages people catch fish through conventional way of angling and using nets. These methods are replaced today by resorting to unconventional and illegal methods. The worst method is making use of bleaching powder. The people who are involved in this unscrupulous method, procure bleaching powder from the officials of PHE department. The use of bleaching powder is indeed a cruel method which not only kills fish but other aquatic life as well. This process is verry common during summers, especialy in Wayil^[11] catchment area. The Fishries department and other government agencies doesn‘t seem to exist. With the result the natural habitat of trout fish in Kashmir valley is rapidly going to lost.
• Mismanagement of water diversion to Power Canals is another concern for the survival of fishes.^[12]

References