Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 21: High Court today directed the Government to submit the Action Taken Report (ATR) with regard to framing of scheme of flood control and improvement of embankment of river Jhelum and utilization of funds provided by the Government of India on the project.
These direction followed after the Union Counsel and Assistant Solicitor General of India (ASGI) T M Shamsi informed the court that the Government of India has provided sufficient funds to the Government of J&K for the restoration and preservation of River Jhelum and for control of floods.
“Authorities show how the funds sanctioned by the Union of India have been utilized. Government counsel is directed to seek instruction from the Commissioner Secretary I&FC department”, Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Moksha Kazmi directed.
The DB also directed the Commissioner Secretary to I&FC department to file a status report in this regard with an affidavit to be sworn by himself within a period of four weeks. “In the event the ATR is not filed within the aforesaid period, the Commissioner Secretary would personally appear before the court on the next date of hearing along with record”, DB clarified.
Court has noted that all the matters regarding restoration and preservation of River Jhelum shall be listed together. It is noted that the Court has already sought the information with regard to original length and breadth as also the removal of encroachments on the banks of River Jhelum from the concerned authorities.
The committee was also constituted after the devastating floods of 2014 headed by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department and Deputy Commissioners of Districts Anantnag, Pulwama, Srinagar & Budgam and Baramulla as its members as also Senior Superintendents of Police of the above districts entrusted with the task of restoring the original width of the River Jhelum and for the removal of all encroachment without any compromise or laxity and to ensure the effective implementation of the J&K Water Resources (Regulation and Management Act) 2010 and the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir who is heading the Committee constituted by the Court is under direction to furnish the report as to the actions taken by the Committee with details of the meetings.
It is recorded by the court that one of the basic factor contributing to the devastating floods of September 2014 in the Valley was narrowing down of River Jhelum due to encroachment on its sides and the non-silting of the river as such the directions were issued to the authorities to draw a plan for the preservation of the River Jhelum and the canals in order to avoid future calamity of the same nature.
In order to get the directions passed by the court implemented in letter and spirit the Commissioner Secretary Forest, Environment and Ecology Department, Commissioner/Secretary Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department , Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag, Pulwama, Srinagar & Budgam and Baramulla were made as party respondents to the Public Interest Litigation.
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