The flood channel passing through Mahjoor Nagar towards Wular has a demanding job. 

When water rises, it must provide an escape route for excess discharge and help protect nearby settlements. During drier periods, however, parts of its bed could serve another purpose, provided engineers establish that such uses are safe. 

Seasonal vegetable cultivation and open spaces for young people call for a serious examination.

Kashmir frequently speaks of scarce land, limited employment and rising living costs. Meanwhile, public land remains under the care of government departments, often with little discussion of how it might serve several compatible needs. 

The flood channel presents an opportunity to examine whether better planning can turn some of this space into a source of livelihoods while preserving its protective function.

Consider an illustrative stretch of 48 kilometres with an assumed average bed width of 80 metres. Together, these dimensions produce an area of 3.84 square kilometres, or approximately 7,600 kanals. 

This is a calculation to show the possible scale, rather than a survey of the land available for cultivation. 

Departmental documents record 80 metres as a recommended design reference, while the actual width varies along the channel.

If half that illustrative area could safely support seasonal vegetables, cultivation might cover about 3,800 kanals, equivalent to 192 hectares. 

The assumption needs field verification, and the usable area could prove much smaller. Even so, the possibility merits investigation. 

A carefully selected patch of public land can support a household income, while several such patches could provide work for........

© Kashmir Observer