Heritage in peril: Concerns raised over damage to Bidar’s karez water system

Fresh concerns person surfaced implicit alleged harm to the centuries-old Naubad–Aliyabad karez (qanat) h2o strategy successful Bidar, pursuing unauthorised digging and alteration adjacent its outlet, raising alarm among conservationists and prompting involution by the territory administration.

Deputy Commissioner Shilpa Sharma visited the tract aft receiving complaints astir the harm and directed officials to instantly halt immoderate unauthorised activity, initiate enactment against those liable and guarantee that conservation measures are undertaken successful consultation with experts acquainted with the karez system, sources successful the territory medication said.

Letter to DC

The contented came to the fore aft biology activistic and State Board for Wildlife subordinate Vinay Malge submitted a practice to the Deputy Commissioner, informing that the alterations could endanger some the structural integrity and hydrological functioning of the historical underground h2o system. In his letter, Mr. Malge flagged concerns implicit changes to the outlet channel, stating that specified interventions could disrupt groundwater recharge and the semipermanent sustainability of the karez.

A karez, besides known arsenic a qanat, is an past underground water-harvesting strategy successful which a mildly sloping horizontal passageway is excavated beneath the world to pat groundwater from higher elevations and convey it by gravity to the surface. Vertical shafts are constructed astatine regular intervals for ventilation, attraction and access. Designed to minimise evaporation and contamination, karez systems are regarded arsenic outstanding examples of accepted hydrological engineering, peculiarly successful arid and semi-arid regions.

During Bahmani period

The Naubad–Aliyabad karez is believed to person been constructed during the Bahmani Sultanate successful the 15th period and is among the earliest known qanat systems successful India. Conservationists enactment that it is peculiarly uncommon arsenic it is carved done laterite rock, dissimilar astir karez systems elsewhere, which are typically built successful alluvial oregon limestone formations.

“The karez successful Bidar is not simply a historical h2o harvesting operation but a surviving groundwater recharge and retention strategy of exceptional scientific, ecological and practice value. Any alteration that reduces groundwater retention clip risks permanently damaging the revived karez line,” Mr. Malge told The Hindu.

Heritage site

He besides pointed retired that the strategy holds beardown imaginable for nomination arsenic a UNESCO World Heritage site if conserved scientifically. “This is 1 of the earliest adaptations of Persian–Central Asian qanat exertion successful the Indian subcontinent, and the lone known karez constructed successful laterite. Losing it to unscientific interventions would beryllium irreversible,” Mr. Malge said.

“The karez should not beryllium viewed simply arsenic a tourism asset. It indispensable beryllium preserved arsenic a long-term, sustainable solution to Bidar’s chronic h2o scarcity,” helium added.

To consult experts

Officials said the territory medication was examining the concerns raised and would consult experts earlier allowing immoderate further enactment successful the area. Conservationists person urged that the karez and its recharge portion beryllium treated arsenic a protected heritage-hydrological landscape.

Revived aft decades of neglect, the Bidar karez strategy has often been cited arsenic a exemplary of accepted h2o contented suited to the Deccan plateau. Activists and experts alike accidental its extortion is important not lone for preserving practice but besides for ensuring sustainable groundwater absorption successful the region.