SKUAST entomology experts to visit Masjid in 2nd week of March
SRINAGAR: 619 years old historical Jamia Masjid, which is located in heart of Srinagar downtown will be examined by SKAUST in 2nd week of March after a gap of five years.
In a report SKAUST said, ” Around 36 wooden pillars on the eastern/southern side of the Jamia Masjid were found infested with pinhole symptoms up to 10 feet height and 20 -30 holes per wooden pillars were recorded.”
“This type of damage is caused by powder-post beetle as dust-like powdered frass (Mixture of fecal matter and food fragments) occasionally fall out of exit holes into small piles on the surface of wooden logs,” the report reads
“The pillars are serving a permanent reservoir of these pests which are likely to render to hallow them inside,” it said.
While talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Haji Mohammad Altaf
General Secretary of AAJ said, “In every five years time we call for SKUAST entomology experts to do a thorough inspection of the Mosque.”
“Due to COVID-19 we could not call them for the last 2 years and now we are writing to SKAUST again to visit again so that we can address whatever is needed,“ Altaf said.
“The process of injecting pillars with insecticide takes almost three months but this year we finished injecting all 360 poles before March and it’s going successful as no new hole is taking place,” he said.
Dr Jamal, an entomologist from SKAUST told KNO that “due to COVID 19 we could not visit Jamia Masjid and now we are waiting for the call from Auqaf and we will be visiting again in the 2nd week of March.”
While asked about cracks in the bottom of pillars Dr Jamal said “In our last visit we had noticed some cracks in the bottom of some pillars but it’s possible as these pillars are hundreds of years old, and the wood expert can deal with that.”