Ganderbal, Nov 10: Major power canals in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district have become virtual death traps, operating for decades without proper fencing or safety barriers.
The water canals feeding the Upper Sindh Hydro Power House (USHP) Stage-I in Sumbal and Stage-II in Kangan—stretching from Kullan to Kangan—remain exposed and unprotected, posing grave risks to thousands of residents and their livestock.
Despite being operational since the 1970s, the 10-kilometre USHP-I canal and 23-kilometre USHP-II canal have never been adequately fenced. What were once guarded waterways with watchers and street lighting have been abandoned for over two decades.
“No one has ever bothered to fence these canal banks. There have been several incidents where locals lost their lives and livestock,” residents told Greater Kashmir.
The canals have claimed numerous lives, both accidental drownings and suspected suicides. On Sunday, a teenage girl from the Wussan area in Kangan drowned after reportedly slipping into the power canal. Her body was later retrieved by police and SDRF rescue teams.
“Many lives could have been saved if there were safety barriers like fencing,” said Mohammad Yousuf, a resident.
The unfenced canals have also repeatedly breached, causing flood-like situations. In March 2013, the USHP-I canal breached due to a landslide at Gund, damaging several houses and destroying agricultural land. A similar incident occurred years ago at the Wanagth link in the Panzin area.
“We live in constant danger. We have sleepless nights even with slight rainfall because the canal is prone to landslides that can cause breaches,” said Mohammad Ayoub, a Gund resident.
Hundreds of kanals of cultivated land have turned barren due to flooding from canal breaches, locals said.
The smooth concrete walls of the canals have proven deadly for animals as well.
“Once big animals slip into the flume, they’re trapped. Their hooves slip on the smooth concrete, and they struggle until exhausted. If the canal is empty during shutdown periods, they starve to death. If it’s full, they drown,” residents explained.
Locals have accused the Power Development Corporation (PDC) of endangering lives by failing to fence the canals despite repeated tragedies.
