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Jammu's First Step...Page 4 SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2020 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine If you can't go...Page 3 Preserve ‘Rare Jewels’ in purity Mansar Lake Surinsar Lake J K Vaid Have you ever noticed that for reaching Mansar lake, you have to ascend though a (Plane Table Survey with Alidate on 1:2000 scale, Use of Klyen Sub-Surface Sampler for hill slope from southern Samba side? From northern Battal side (on Dhar - Udhampur bathymetry and water sample collection at depths of lake water column and allied tech- I am sure you all must have visited the popular picnic spots of Jammu - Mansar Lake road) also there is a gentle upward gradient towards the lake. Isn't this peculiar? Nor- nical studies. The first time base line data on Mansar and Surinsar lakes is tabulated and the nearby Surinsar Lake. However, you may not be that much conscious of many mally, the lakes are found in depressions and you have to go down to access them. Gen- below:- a unique feature pertaining to the twin lakes, as have been revealed in the recent scien- erally, only glacial lakes such as Kaplas Kund also called as Vaskund at 13500 feet height National Institute of Hydrology (NIH) has also been undertaking Water Quality Sur- tific studies carried out by Geological Survey Of India (GSI). In the first ever systemat- in the Kaplas Range in Bhadarwah area, are formed at great heights due to scooping veys of the Mansar and Surinsar Lake Waters collected from surface, periodically. Their ic Geoenvironmental Survey in 1996-97 by a team of three Geologists, two Surveyors action of moving ice (glaciers) on the rocks over very prolonged period of times. findings of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the lake waters conform with analytical and two Chemists of GSI under my guidance and supervision, a wealth of base-line data So, Mansar lake is formed on a Structural High called as an Anticline in geological reports of GSI carried out more than two decades ago. has been generated and many myths regarding depth of the lakes, apprehensions about parlance. Anticline means an arch of rocks with its high turned upwards. Same is true their shrinkage or siltation and pollution or environmental degradation etc. have been Conclusion: for its sister lake called as Surinsar, situated at 11.7 Km Northwest (N55W) of Mansar exploded. So we are lucky to have such beauties in the form of two very deep fresh water lakes It is high time that this published scientific data be given wide publicity by the con- in Jammu which still enjoy pristine glory of environment. Any future surveys of this cerned quarters such as Mansar & Surinsar Lakes Development Authority, Departments nature would reveal the updated status of the lakes at that time. This is the first ever of Tourism and Information etc. through revised/updated brochures. The abstract ver- baseline data generated which will be useful in the future studies for comparative assess- sion of this data is published in Records Of Geological Survey Of India, Vol.131 Part-8: ment. Of course, the modern surveying techniques using Digital Total Station Surveys Extended Abstracts Of Progress Reports Of Northern Region : Field Season 1996-97, would yield high precision data for area calculations and the same is recommended. It P.16 - 24. Full report on Geoenvironmental Appraisal Of Mansar & Surinsar Lakes, issued does not involve much cost factor also. Technical experts need also to be taken on board in 2001, is also available with Geological Survey Of India. in course of development activities at and around the lakes. In the year 1977, Surinsar lake was surveyed by Department of Geology & Mining, J&K Government by Plane Table RELIGIOUS BELIEFS & MYTHS : mapping on 1 : 2000 scale. That report was also consulted in the studies by GSI. On com- Mansar lake is considered to be abode of a Hindu serpent god, Sheshnag by the locals parison of 2 maps on same scale of 1:2000, one prepared by DGM in 1977 and the oth- and populace of surrounding areas and some religious rites such as mundan ceremonies er by GSI in 1996 , it was found that there is no change in depth or area of Surinsar lake are performed here for their sons by many families at the ancient Sheshnag temple, locat- in 19 years time. No early data on accurate surveys existed for Mansar lake. ed at northeastern margin of the lake. Even to this day, locals and many others believe lake. The core of this anticline has a number of fractures or faults, including cross-faults. This, however, doesn't mean that we should not take due care about the ecology and that the lake doesn't have any bottom. In other words they mean that the depth of the It is these fractures or faults which have resulted in spring activity in the lake basins pollution of the lakes. We must preserve them in all purity and beauty. Mansar and lake is so great that it cannot be fathomed. Well, when oceans can be fathomed, why not (Mansar and Surinsar) yielding perennial source of lake waters. Most of the lake waters Surinsar lakes are amongst the deepest fresh water lakes in India. We have much deep- a small lake? Science has made all that possible. are coming from below, welling up as copious springs along the fracture planes, in arte- er lakes in Ladakh, but they are not fresh water, they are brackish waters, remnants of Origin of the Lakes sian conditions.. great seas of the past with enchanting geological history. Kashmir lakes which also are Regarding the formation or origin of the lakes also, there are mythological stories Next time you visit Mansar or Surinsar, please note that no stream or nala is feed- fresh water lakes are of much lesser depths, Mansbal being the deepest one amongst such as - the great Arjuna of Mahabharata times shot an arrow to carve out twin lakes ing the lakes for water source and the catchment area of both the lakes is also very lim- them at around 10 metres depth. Nainital lake at the noted hill station Nainital in Uttrak- of Mansar and Surinsar. But such magical things are very hard to digest, especially by ited i.e. less than one sq km, the annual rainfall of the area being about 1400 mm. In hand is considered to be very deep. It, however, is 18 metres only at its deepest point. the modern educated generation. These lakes have been formed by a well defined rare other words both the lakes are closed drainage type. The lakes can be approached from N.H. 44 off Samba and from Jammu, as well as geological process during mountain building diastropic processes. In short they are net Facts & Figures: Udhampur, at short distance of 23 km, 60 km and 45 km respectively. result of God given boon. So let us have the facts about the twin lakes, as revealed by authentic ground surveys (The author is a noted Geologist & Retd. Director Geological Survey of India) ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// A blend of Art, Culture & Heritage Sunny Dua unique collections through an online portal as well. Having sold her hand woven, hand crafted and hand embroidered shawls Persistent campaigns against leather products only to save in Australia, London and even Varuna Anand in an exclusive extinct animals and not harm them for pleasure or products interview to The Daily Excelsior said sky is the limit when it while have forced international clothing brands to stop killing comes to maintaining quality and marketing ‘The Splendour of or harming crocodiles, snakes, rabbits including Chiru goat for Kashmir’. She said, ‘though Pashmina comes from Changthang producing leather or extracting Shahtoosh respectively, it has Plateau in Tibet and parts of Ladakh region but weaving and also opened avenues for Pashmina - a fibre which is produced doing embroidery on it is an expertise that wrests with weavers without harming any animal but is globally appreciated and is of Kashmir alone’. in big demand. This is the reason Kashmir as well as Basohli Launched in November 2011 Splendour of Kashmir is in its Shawls in Jammu and Kashmir are among the most exquisite 9th year now. A qualified textile designer, Varuna revealed that textile ever woven that display exemplary skill and artistry. Pashmina shawls designed in Kashmir are most sought-after World’s most delicate fibre, Pashmina is basically a fibre textiles in the world but lack of knowledge makes many end up that grows in between hair of a particular goat that’s found in buying either fake or entirely a different product. Late Dr S S high altitude regions of China, Afghanistan, Mangolia, Ladakh, Dua who had established Upshi Pashmina farm in Ladakh Tibet, Nepal, Iran and other central Asian republics during region during his stint in sheep husbandry department also extreme winters to protect the animal. This when sheered is de- used to say that buying authentic Pashmina is itself an art and haired, made into looms, then thread and finally women into not everyone’s cup of tea. fine Pashmina Shawls. From here onwards, art lovers and tex- His simple household test of Pashmina fibre was to burn a tile designers like Varuna Anand begin their journey of promot- thread and tell its authenticity by its smell. Wool, synthetic and Varuna Anand ing art of doing embroidery on Pashmina shawls and showcas- Pashmina residue all smell different after burning, he used to ing finished goods around the globe. Pashmina shawls have been worn by the royals and elites and market fake products as well.

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