Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 8: In a petition filed by inhabitants of Barjala and Khandwal villages falling in Nikki Tawi area through Gurdev Singh and Ghulam Nabi Sheikh seeking restoration of infrastructure damaged during the flash floods of 2014-15 and 2015-16, High Court today directed Administrative Secretaries of Irrigation and Flood Control, Planning and Development and Finance Department to file Action Taken Report (ATR) on the communication No.IFCJ/ P&S/PM Package/42-IV/27104-08 dated March, 17, 2016 addressed by the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department Jammu to the Commissioner/Secretary Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Suraj Singh and Rahul Raina appearing for the petitioners, Justice Tashi Rabstan issued notices to the Commissioner/Secretaries of three departments and other officers.
Looking into the urgency involved in the matter, High Court also directed these Administrative Secretaries to file Action Taken Report on the communication of Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, who made a request for the release of Rs 793 lakh for taking up of protection works in the flood affected areas of Nikki Tawi including villages of Barjala and Khandwal.
Earlier, Advocate Ahmed submitted that the devastating floods of 2014-15 and 2015-16 caused huge losses to the inhabitants of villages Barjala and Khandwal and a portion of Nikki Tawi Bridge was washed away which disconnected more than 45 villages in the area.
“The flash floods also resulted into irreparable loss to the Over Head Water Tank, Satsang Ghar, Baba Budhan Ali Shah Educational Complex at Barjala besides massive damage to the Gurudwara at Khandwal and various houses/structures apart from agricultural land”, he added.
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