Sihar Baba a picture of neglect
Amit Khajuria
Tribune News Service
Jammu, April 5
Sihar Baba — the famous religious place with high tourism potential — has become a victim of government neglect. It has been six months since the flash floods caused destruction at this historical place, but the administration has turned a blind eye towards it.
Sihar Baba is one of the biggest natural waterfalls in North India. It is located on the Chenab in Reasi district.
Neither has the administration visited the place nor has any proposal been made to restore it.
“Hundreds of pilgrims and tourists come here to offer prayers in the temple and enjoy the natural beauty of the waterfall and the Chenab. But the number has reduced drastically as the September floods destroyed everything,” said the priest of the temple.
He has established the holy stone in a tent near the damaged temple.
A big pond at the bottom of the 100-metre-long waterfall, a historical temple of Lord Shiva and a bridge, park with changing room facility for ladies, toilets and sheds were destroyed by the flash floods last year. The debris raised the level of the ground on which the shrine stood.
A bridge over a nullah near the shrine was also washed away. The changing rooms were filled with debris up to six feet, said the priest.
“I visited the place after a year. I am shocked that nothing is left here except the waterfall. Not even the temple is there. What is the administration doing? It has not even restored the temple,” said Ravi Saroch, a pilgrim. “Earlier, hundreds of people used to visit this place,” Saroch said.
The district administration is still unaware of the actual damage in the tourist destination.“It happened before my joining as the Deputy Commissioner, Reasi. I was told that a park has got submerged, but I am not aware of the damage to the temple or other destruction at Sihar Baba,” said Sushma Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi.
