6th,December, 2021

 

Topic: Environment

 

Importance: Himachal HPAS Mains

 

 

What is the news?

• Dharamsala is losing its tourist attractions – the Bhagsu Waterfall and Dal Lake – to an unscientific approach from local authorities.

 

Why?

• The Dal Lake has dried up due to unscientific removal of silt from its base, which has allegedly created water siphons at its base.
• Now the lake dries out right after the monsoons and has been reduced to a mud basin.

 

What is water siphons?

• The siphon is a liquid reservoir with an inverted U-tube. The liquid initially fills the tube. (There are several methods to achieve this initial state.)
• The purpose of the siphon is to drain liquid from the reservoir by liquid flow that passes over a higher level than the liquid surface in the reservoir.

 

Reason:

• About 12 lakh liters of water was being lifted daily for various water supply schemes of the Army and the IPH Department from the stream feeding the Bhagsu waterfall.
• This leaves almost nothing in the stream to create a waterfall. The quantity of water being lifted has increased over the past decade, adversely affecting its flow.

 

About Bhagsunag:

• Bhagsu/ Bhaksu (also called Bhagsunag or Bhagsunath) is a village close to Mcleodganj in Dharamshala District, Himachal Pradesh.
• It is popular for the Bhagsunag waterfall and the ancient Bhagsunag shrine.
• Tourists need to trek to reach the waterfall.
• In the early 18th century, the Gurkhas moved here with the British and formed the historic 1st Gorkha Rifles in 1815 (The Malaun Regiment).
• Bhagsu is also the home of 1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment). Bhagsu is named after the Bhagsunag temple currently at McLeodGanj station, including Bhagsu itself, but also as Dharamshala, McLeodGanj and ForsythGanj.

As per the Indian mythology, the snake god got into a battle with King Bhagsu. The reason for the battle was that King Bhagsu had stolen water from the holy lake called NagDal Lake. King Bhagsu was defeated and finally pardoned, and the site was consecrated as Bhagsu Nag.

(Source: The HP Tribune)