A walk at Sukhna Lake even in the hot summer sun can come with its share of rewards. As I climb the stairs towards the regulatory end from the CGA Golf Range side, a group of workers is busy tending to the plants. We exchange notes on the weather and I ask if there is anyone among them who has ever saved someone from drowning in the lake with reports of people committing suicide there appearing frequently. One of the men in the group points towards the curve in the embankment where a group of anglers is sitting, shielded by umbrellas, waiting for their catch of the day. They are the ones who notice such incidents in the lake waters, I am told. Climbing down the rocks, I make my way to a group of three men by the side of the lake, waiting patiently for a fish to bite the bait. In the distance, a pair of boats is at work, not fishermen, but preparing for the kayaking and canoeing championship, slated to begin two days later. Raj Kumar, 56, has been a regular at the Sukhna since 1989. Originally from Bhagwanpur near Haridwar, he has been in the city for nearly three decades, his passion for fishing borne out of living near the rivers in childhood. Raj Kumar works with the Fastway cable company and is here every holiday to indulge in his hobby. He does not prefer Sundays as the Fisheries Department issues only 20 slips on Sundays because of the rush which spoils the fun. The department charges Rs 40 per day from the anglers. The charge is Rs 300 for 10 days and Rs 800 for a period of 30 days. Annual passes are not issued and fishing is banned in July as it is the breeding season. Timing for the anglers is fixed from 10 am to 4 pm. Earlier, it was from 9 am to 5 pm and even before that they were permitted from 7 am to 7 pm. Raj Kumar regrets the timings. He says it is only early in the morning or late in the evening that the fish tend to swim towards the bank in search of food and by then it is time to pack up. He wants the UT Administration to think afresh about this policy, a spoilsport for the anglers. There are others rules too mentioned in the pass issued to the anglers. The anglers can drop anchor only in an area that is one kilometer away from the cafeteria side and 500 metres away from the regulatory end. Very small fish have to be dropped back in the waters and they are not allowed to catch more than two fish weighing 3.5 kg each. He says his biggest catch at the lake has been a Golden weighing around 5 kg. His friend Raghubir, who is from Panipat and has been accompanying him since 1989, says his biggest catch has been a 7-kg Rohu, which along with Katla, are among the common varieties found in the Sukhna. The hobby does not cost much. The fishing rod comes for around Rs 2,500 and the wheel for Rs 2,000 besides sundry other expenses incurred on the thread and flour to bait the fish, says Raj Kumar, as he demonstrates his art, gluing the atta (flour) and flinging the bait wide in the waters. His passion is infectious and shared by his son Ashu Kumar and nephew Sandhu Kumar. Not to disturb our conversation, the two boys move away farther. I ask Raj Kumar if he has ever saved anyone’s life at the Sukhna? He directs me to his son Ashu Kumar, saying he has done it twice, recently on June 22. Ashu is only 23, wants to complete his graduation and set up his own empire’ because naukri’ leaves you at the mercy of others. Ashu says on June 22, he was busy fishing, when a woman, in her mid-30s, ran down the stairs and plunged into the waters. He jumped to save her. She was heavy and I thought I would drown too, he recalls showing his faded Aadhaar card ruined after getting soggy in the waters. The incident is there on WhatsApp, he says, showing me the video clip of the rescue act. He has saved the life of a girl earlier. A pair was getting cosy on the stairs and the anglers were cursing them for the public display of affection. Suddenly, there was the voice of another girl on the stairs arguing on the phone. Suddenly, she jumped into the waters. He swam to save her. The police post and life guards are informed, he says. Why do people take such extreme steps? Ashu shrugs his shoulders, Pata nahin, banda jab zyada pareshan ho jata hai toh use phir shayad kuch aur nahin dikhta, he says philosophically. I leave in awe of the anglers for their passion, courage and positivity. A hot summer afternoon at Sukhna had been amply rewarded.