Srinagar, April 6 : The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar which conducted studies on a “sinkhole” in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district has found that it has an outlet 16 km away at Achabal. A sinkhole of around 12 feet in length and breadth had formed in February this year in Brengi Stream at village Wandevalgam Anantnag district due to the natural water resource flow posing threat to life and property. The fresh water stream was dramatically swallowed by a sinkhole. Tracer studies conducted by the NIT Srinagar observed that the sinkhole has an outlet at Achabal at a distance of 16 km from the Brengi Stream at Wandevalgam, officials said. They said there could be other outlets in nearby areas which could be an interesting inference from interesting phenomena, they said. “KokernagSinkhole at Wandevalgam-Tracer studies by NIT Sgr observed-‘Sinkhole has an outlet at Achabal at a distance of 16 Km from sinkhole.There cud be other outlets in near by areas’ Interesting inference from an interesting phenomenon!”, Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Dr Piyush Singla said in a tweet. The vertical sinkhole, experts had believed was a natural phenomenon developed due to the gradual dissolution of limestone rocks in the river is attracting large numbers of people to the site and even has caused concerns for the population of the area. The authorities had to impose restrictions last year when the news of a natural Sinkhole on Brengi Stream emerged and people including media persons in large numbers thronged Kokernag creating law and order problems. A whirlpool had formed in the Brengi stream and the entire water was discharging into the hole had posed a threat to flora and fauna downstream. However, the stream was diverted a couple of times by the authorities, but they could not find the way out of it and had dried up 15 to 20 kilometers of the stream besides thousands of fish died in it. The villagers living around the Brengi stream had feared that if authorities could not take immediate measures, it would cause drought to a waste area of agricultural land also. However, it was presumed that the sinkhole had an outlet at Achabal where it was discharging normally, However, officially it could not be confirmed. Teams of Flood Control, Irrigation department, Geology, and Mining, Public Health Engineering (PHEE) department had a tough time during all these months to ascertain the situation of the Brengi stream could not find the outlet of this sink-hole until the tracer studies conducted by the NIT Srinagar found its outlet. QAB SY 1515