Will be restored to its original glory along with a park: MC Hajin Chairman

Hajin: Once abuzz with people offering prayers and refreshing themselves, ‘Pend Aab Boon’ which was famous during summers today wears a deserted look, while the authorities and the municipal committee have neglected this significant place located on the river Jhelum at Hajin in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
People, mostly elders, from the entire Hajin town and its adjoining areas used to come and spend their leisure time here. They even used to offer Zuhr, Asr and Maghrib prayers here but now, it has lost its glory and has been turned into a dumping site by both locals and shopkeepers.
No steps have been taken to restore the lost glory of this once-beautiful destination.
Blaming Municipal Committee (MC) Hajin and some shopkeepers and nearby residents of the area, Bashir Ahmad, a local, said, “Pend Aab Boon once acted as the refreshing spot where people used to spend their free time in the healthy environment, but now the irresponsible residents and callous approach of Municipal Committee Hajin have led to the degradation of the site.”
There used to be a Chinar tree where people would often spend their leisure time, he told Kashmir Reader, adding that people used to spend time along the river banks, take baths and discuss things but it is all these over now.
If public parks would be developed on the river banks it would make the town more attractive and beautiful, Bashir said. He urged the authorities to make efforts to restore the lost glory of Pend Aab Boon.
Another local, Hilal Ahmad, said, “Nowadays, you can see non-biodegradable items like plastic bottles floating in the river and on the banks of river Jhelum. It is depressing.”
Another problem, as per some senior citizens, is that the aggressive growth of wild bung and other weeds is also not looked at by the municipal authorities who seem least bothered. We are thankful to the police who recently removed the bung cultivation on the river banks of Hajin, they said.
Hilal blamed the nearby residents, saying they are the major pollutants as they dump the waste on the banks of the river near the main market Hajin. A foul smell emanates from it, he said.
Waseem Majazi, a local, said that ‘Pend Aab Boon’ was once revered as a place of solitude where prayers were offered and people used to feel spiritually elevated. The land now presents a tragic tableau of neglect and degradation, he lamented.
The transformation from a site of reverence to a dumping ground is a stark reminder of the consequences of the authorities’ negligence, he said, adding that the air, once filled with the fragrance of incense and the murmurs of devotion, now carries the stench of waste and decay.
The ground, which once bore the gentle footfalls of the faithful, is marred by heaps of garbage, Waseem said, adding that the echoes of heartfelt prayers have been replaced by the clattering of garbage and the buzz of pests.
He said the absence of intervention and upkeep not only “dishonours” the past, but also jeopardises the well-being of the ecosystem and community.
Restoration and awareness initiatives could help reclaim the land’s sanctity and educate the community about responsible waste management, Waseem said.
Chairman Municipal Committee Hajin Irshad Ahmad Wani told Kashmir Reader said that the restoration work of ‘Pend Aab Boon’ will be started very soon and it will be restored to its original glory.
He also said that a public park will be constructed on the river embankments next year to promote tourism.

GOWHAR MAQBOOL