CHANDIGARH: A recent decision to develop a new nature park with jacuzzi hot baths at Kasol, a much sought after tourist destination, in the Parvati Valley of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh has met with opposition.The opposition arose out of a proposal to divert water from Manikaran to Kasol.Manikaran is a pilgrimage site sacred for both Hindus and the Sikhs.The local people argue that to divert sacred water from Manikaran for commercial purpose is unacceptable.It was during a recent meeting of the Special Area Development Authority (SADA) that the decision to develop a new park in Kasol with a hot bath facility was arrived at. The meeting resolved to divert water from Manikaran through pipes to the proposed park.The distance between Manikaran and Kasol is about five kilometers.However, the local people threatened to launch an agitation against the diversion of holy water from Manikaran.”Manikaran is a pilgrimage site. Therefore, no one should be allowed to misuse the holy water. If the government wants to build hot baths, it should develop such facility in Manikaran itself, a local resident said.The BJP leaders maintained that even the local deities would be against diverting water from Manikaran for the purpose of hot baths. Last week former MP Maheshwar Singh also opposed the decision to divert water from Manikaran to the proposed nature park.The local people have already submitted a petition against the proposed park to Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh.While confirming the same, Raveesh said the proposal is in a preliminary stage and it is yet to be decided wherefrom water should be diverted.Sunder Singh Thakur, local Congress MLA said that there was a proposal for utilization of spill over water in Manikaran but now we have found an alternative with digging of hot water springs in Kasol itself. He said it should be ensured that the holy water is not used for commercial purposes. “Some people are against the development of the region and oppose the development works,” he added.
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