SRINAGAR: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, today reviewed the progress of ongoing dredging of river Jhelum from Anantnag to Baramulla in a high-level meeting.
This was the first review meeting of the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department which was chaired by Mehbooba Mufti after taking over as the Chief Minister of the State.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed about ”Dredging as a Component of Flood Mitigation’, which is part of the Comprehensive Plan for Flood Management Works on Jhelum, Phase I, recently sanctioned by the Central Government at a cost of Rs 399.29 crore.
Mehbooba Mufti noted with serious concern about the extremely slow pace of work by Kolkata-based Reach Dredgers, which has been tasked with mechanical dredging of 16,00,000 cum along the Srinagar and Baramulla stretches of river Jhelum.
She emphasised the weekly timelines to be fixed to ensure that ongoing dredging works are carried out speedily as to relieve the people from perpetual fear of floods that grips them during heavy rains.
“People have already waited for a long time and any further delay in dredging work will be totally unacceptable,” the Chief Minister stated.
Presently, two master dredgers engaged by Reach Dredgers are carrying out mechanical dredging at Shivpora and Sopore. However, only 2000 cum dredging of Jhelum has been carried out since the work as allotted to the firm, the Chief Minister was informed. (AGENCIES)
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