Water mills getting extinct in Mandi, Kullu

Tribune News Service

Mandi, August 2

Water mills are getting extinct in Mandi and Kullu districts and their place is being taken by electricity-run mills to grind grains.

Till a few years ago, every village had one or two water mills, known as ghrat, to grind the grains. But with the passage of time, most water mills have become defunct.

The reason is the availability of power mills. People now prefer to grind their grains in power mills. It saves their time and money.

Prem Singh, who runs a water mill in the Chohar valley of Mandi district, said power mills had affected his business. Most people visit nearby villages to grind grains in power mills.

Subhash Thakur of Kanag village in Mandi said the government should make efforts to revive water mills.

According to the Industries Department, there are around 468 mills in Mandi district, most of which are power mills. The department has no specific data on how many water mills are functional in the district.

OP Jaryal, General Manager of the department, said, “The modern technology is the major cause of the extinction of water mills. However, many water mills are still functional in Mandi district”.

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