Kanhatti Garden, Soon Valley 4.71

Kanhatti Garden was established by Major W Whet Burn, District Engineer, and District Board Shahpur on 18th August 1933. Kanhatti sub village of Khabeki has been derived from Kanhat, a special rock found at natural water spring. The area of orchard was transferred to the District Board on Nov 2, 1934. The plantation in the garden was started in December 1934 and completed in January-February 1935. The plant inventory includes Almond, Apricot, Pine apple, Nagpurisangtara, Valencia late and Washington Navel. The Garden was transferred to Horticulture Research Station Soon Valley under the administrative control of Director Horticulture Research Institute, AARI-Faisalabad (1984 to 1991).
In the year 1999, it was again given under the control of District Council Khushab. However being maintained under the supervision of the Khusab Agriculture Department, the Kanhatti Rest House and Camping Site was taken over by the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) on 29th Nov, 2014.
KanhattiGarden is like a square, three sides are bounded by reserve forest (5,014 acres) while in North private lands of the Kanhatti settlement are located. Garden is home of the indigenous flora and fauna. More than 15 species of tall trees, 60 herbs, 20 shrubs and 15 types of grasses have been recorded from the garden. Kanhatti Garden is home to the largest birds population in the Punjab Salt Range. Punjab Urial, Grey and Black partridges, golden orioles, woodpeckers while 6 different endemic fish species have been found in the garden water springs.
Irrigation sources are three – spring water, rainwater and tube well. Kanhati Garden is famous for its delicious sweet juicy late Valentia citrus variety (brought from Florida, the US in 1932) which fully ripe in the month of May-June and no other place in Punjab share this uniqueness.
Kanhat rock is abundantly found in this area due to which the place is named as Kanhatti. Limestone and sandstone layers are present in the area where as red marl is also exposed at several places. The main mountain ridges of the area consist of the sand stone which are 120 million years old.
The climate of the garden is generally dry with hot summer and cold winter. The average minimum temperature in the area is 02 c while average maximum temperature is 36 c. Average annual precipitation is 600 mm, a major portion of which received during rainy season.
Garden is visited by 10 to 1,000 tourists annually both local as well as from other adjoining cities. These tourists include common citizens, university/college/school students and youth generation of the area.
According to the PTDC Managing Director, project “Development of Eco-Tourism in Soon Valley at Kanhati Garden, Khabekhi and Uchali Lake – Khushab’, has been approved and initiated under Annual Development Program (ADP) which hopefully would be completed within 18 months. However, soft interventions at Kanhatti Garden will be completed within couple of months. The components of development at Kanhatti Garden include Campsite and Camping facility, Garden view point, Rest House, Caravan Park, Camel riding, Hiking trails, bird watching and sighting of several other wildlife species, Natural water springs, waterfalls, water mills and water pools.
Moreover the installation of signage has been completed to facilitate the visiting tourists.

The above short article on Kanhatti Garden was written by Nouman Khan.