Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 17: Though the State Government was sounded about the vulnerability of 13 districts to different kind of disasters including floods several years back, the non-seriousness towards bridging infrastructural gaps in addressing the risk mitigation for floods and related disasters remained at its peak. The outcome of this slackness is now visible on ground in the aftermath of recent flash floods, which have caused massive devastation.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that several years back, 13 districts of Jammu and Kashmir out of 100 in the country were identified as multi-hazard prone districts. Of these districts, low lying areas of the Kashmir valley especially Sonawari, Awantipora, Srinagar along with several parts of Jammu were declared as prone to the massive floods. Similarly, upper catchments of all the tributaries of the Jhelum, Indus, Chenab and Tawi rivers were declared prone to flash floods.
The objective behind hazard profiling of Jammu and Kashmir was to sound the Government so that it can take steps to have a solid base to start activities related to the disaster risk reduction. Following this, the State was required to ensure vulnerability and risk mapping of the areas in these districts for development of detailed prevention, preparedness and mitigation measures.
Moreover, specific measures like micro-zonation of cities of Jammu and Srinagar and all major towns, land use planning and zoning regulations were required to be initiated in a time-bound manner, sources informed, adding even it was stressed at that time that all the departments should spend time in a planned manner on steps and components that could help in disaster risk reduction.
“Keeping in view the fact that more than 50 percent districts of the State were categorized as multi-hazard prone, the principle objective behind all these recommendations and suggestions was to minimize human suffering during disasters and reduction of financial losses through integration of disaster risk reduction activities into the development planning”, they said.
But all these aspects were totally ignored and the outcome of the same is visible in the shape of massive death and destruction during the recent flood fury in major parts of the State.
According to the sources, the Department of Environment and Remote Sensing in its document submitted to the State Government as well as Union Ministry of Environment had also identified infrastructural gaps in addressing the risk mitigation for flood and related disaster.
The department had informed the Government about non-availability of close contour maps and digital elevation models of flood prone areas. Moreover, it was also conveyed to the Government that flood forecasting and warning network of the Central Water Commission though developed on scientific basis, doesn’t cover all the flood prone rivers and rivulets of Jammu and Kashmir.
It was also pointed out by the department that very few river basins have been covered with automatic sensors for observations and telemetry system for communication of data and flood plain zoning regulations have not been enacted and enforced. “Implementation of flood proofing measures are yet to be fully implemented and the flood response system lacks public participation, which otherwise is very imperative for safeguarding their lives and properties during the floods”, the department had mentioned in the document, adding “people in flood prone areas are not aware of the role they can play in the preparedness, mitigation and rescue during floods”.
In response to a question, sources said, “risk and vulnerability mapping of areas in the districts prone to floods could have easily been carried out by making use of geoinformatics, which include remote sensing, geographic information system, global positioning system and internet mapping services”, adding “these facilities provide the most powerful tools for disaster management through hazard mapping, monitoring, risk assessment and emergency response”.
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