Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 10: The State High Court has directed the authorities to inform the Court about preparation they have made to prevent 2014 like flooding in Kashmir.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad and Justice M K Hanjura directed the I&FC department to work on the basis of assumption that flood like 2014 would be in ensuing September and what are its preparations to prevent it. “Let’s assume that floods like 2014 would take place in this year, and then what is your preparation”, court observed to Chief Engineer I&FC. “”We in the first instance enhance the capacity of water spill channels. Post dredging process be also informed to the Court by next date”, Advocate General replied.
Court with these submissions directed the authorities to report it on enhancing the water capacity of spill channels by video presentation on next date of hearing indicating therein as to what type of steps and measures have been taken to avert the situation like 2014.
CE I&FC submitted before the bench that the committee recommended measures to manage floods in State and as such categorized these measures in three groups depending upon the implementation time that may be required. The categorization, CE said, is that the immediate measures to be implemented before next flood season, short term measures to be implemented within 2 to 3 years and long terms measure to be implemented within 5 to 10 years. “We find this unacceptable”, court said.
These measures have its basis to the report of the committee constituted by Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR), River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation on floods in J&K in September, 2014. Three member group comprising of Chairman Central Water Commission (CWC), Commissioner (Indus) and Director National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee had to conduct an in-depth study and analysis of the unprecedented floods in J&K so as to make suitable recommendations along with a detailed plan to deal with such threats in future.
Immediate measures are to close the breaches and development of flood forecasting and warning networks. “Short term measures are raising and strengthening of existing embankment, enhancement of carrying capacity of existing flood spill channels, dredging of outfall channel to increase its carrying capacity, setting up of rapid action dewatering facilities in urban areas and establishment to adequate emergency response measures and rescue areas”, report of CE read.
During the proceedings of the matter, Court enquired about the setting up State Water Resources Regulatory Authority under J&K Water Resources Act in terms of its previous direction. Advocate General submitted before the court that the authority under JKWR Act would be established within 2-weeks from today. Court granted 2-weeks time for it. It also sought report on encroachments along river banks and on its tributaries by next date.
State Water Resources Regulatory Authority comprised Chairman and its three members appointed by the Government on the recommendation of a selection committee and has power to acquire, hold and dispose of property both movable and immovable and the agony is the said authority is non-functional since 2015.
About the long term measures Court has been informed that additional supplementary flood spill channel, creation of storage, development and enhancing the capacity of Wular lake, flood plain zoning, necessary measures with regard to sewage/solid waste, a-forestation and catchment area treatment along the hill slopes improvement of flood warning times.
CE submited that these recommendations of the committee were accepted and short term measures were divided into phase-I and II. In Phase-I, he said, Land acquisition, Earth work cutting of flood spill channel from Bemina Bridge up to Hokersar entrance and at Naidkhai, Construction of two bridges at Shariefabad and Naidkhai, construction of toe wall and retaining walls on River Jhelum and slope development by way of stone pitching and concrete bund as also dredging of river Jhelum at Srinagar and Baramulla would take place.
With regard Phase-II, CE submitted that it was decided by the (MoWR) to formulate DPR for a flood discharge of 60000 cusecs from Sangam to Padshahibagh. “It was also instructed by the (MoWR) & CWC that mathematical model study of river Jhelum for proposed discharge of 60000 cusec should be carried through Central Water Power Research Station (CWPRS) Pune to check the feasibility of the said project”, report read.
In long term measures, the department, CE said, has devised to implement the comprehensive flood management of river Jhelum and its tributaries for 1 in 100 year flood discharge of 1,15,000 cusecs at Sangam and in this regard a consultancy of international level for preparation of comprehensive flood management plan and detailed project report including conducting surveys and feasibility studies of river Jhelum and its tributaries has been invited by the Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction department J&K State in consultation with I&FC under Work Bank Funding and final tendering amongst qualified tenders is under process.
The long term measures include construction of water storages on tributaries of river Jhelum within the ambit of Indus Water Treaty (IWT)-1960 and proposal for construction of supplementary flood spill channels, enhancement of carrying capacity of the river, widening of river, dredging of outfall channel of river, de-silting and dredging of other water bodies, anti-erosion and training works on tributaries
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