Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 12: The massive siltation of Hokersar wetland in North-West of Srinagar and absence of flood spill channel in the area is posing a September-2014 like flood threat to Srinagar city if immediate measures are not taken on massive scale.
The tussle between Irrigation and Flood Control Department and Wild Life Department over the construction of flood channel in Hokersar area led to massive siltation of the wetland in past few years posing major flood threat to Srinagar.
The funds that were meant for the construction of the flood channel were diverted to Wullar Conservation project four years ago after row between the two departments.
The work on the flood channel was stopped by the Wild Life Department four years ago near Soibugh. The absence of flood channel beyond Sharifabad upto Narbal has blocked the outflow of water causing inundation of Srinagar city during last year’s floods.
Experts say that flood threat due to massive siltation of the wetland in September-2014 floods has led to increased threat in future. “If the flood channel is not constructed immediately and drudging of the wetland is not carried out, Srinagar city faces increased threat and low water levels even can lead to inundation of the city”, they added.
Superintending Engineer (SE) Irrigation and Flood Control, Budgam, Imtiaz Ahmad Dhar told Excelsior that the National Board for Wildlife of Ministry of Environment and Forests has cleared the construction of the flood channel through Hokersar. “Now it will go to the Central Empowered Committee of Supreme Court and once they clear it, the flood channel will be dug”, he added. He said that alignment of the flood channel is the same as was proposed by the Irrigation and Flood Control department as it was scientifically proved that its Oldage alignment is good for the ecosystem of the wetland.
The Wild Life Warden, Hokersar Wetland, Imtiaz Ahmad Lone, told Excelsior that the department is not averse to the digging of flood channel from Sharifabad to Narbal but they had proposed that it should pass through the periphery of the wetland and not through the centre of it.
Lone said that as the flood channel directly opens into the wetland for past over four decades it has led to massive siltation of the water body reducing its carrying capacity. “In September-2014 floods, the Hokersar could not carry more water and siltation of the wetland blocked the smooth flow of water leading to waters of Hokersar entering the city”, he said.
The Wildlife department official said that last year’s floods caused more siltation and it has increased threat of floods for Srinagar city.
The Hokersar wetland that was spread to over 16 square kilometers has over the decades shrunk to over 4 kilometers. A portion of it has been encroached and rest has been converted to landmass due to massive siltation caused by the flood channel. A recent survey suggests that over the years there has been 4 meter siltation of the wetland and at some places it is more.
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