Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 9: Accusing the State Government of failing to address the basic developmental needs of the people of the State, National Conference Additional General Secretary Mustafa Kamal today expressed concern over ”slow dredging work in river Jhelum”.
“The ruling regime is responsible for failing to take precautionary measures to tackle any flood situation, like the one occurred in September 2014,” Dr Kamal, who is the brother of NC president Farooq Abdullah, said.
Dr Kamal said after the 2014 floods all the experts and professionals had suggested that water absorbing capacity of the Wular Lake needs to be expanded immediately to evade any future devastation by the floods.
”But even after three years, the Government seems not to have learnt any lesson from this destruction. Had this Government been serious about the safety of the people, it would have not wasted so much of time.
The Coalition Government has put people’s lives and properties in a great risk by delaying in precautionary measures, strongly recommended by the experts.
The flood, which occurred three years ago, was from nature, but at the same time it gave us opportunity to get alert and to take measures to escape any further devastation in future,” he said.
Dr Kamal said Wular Lake, which is largest flood basin of Kashmir, has been reduced constantly and the depth of the lake has also been reduced due to heavily situation.
“We know the lake was actually 217.8 sq km and now it has been reduced to 86.71 sq km as per the survey conducted in 2007. This fact clearly indicates how much we should be serious and steady to take care of the lake,” he said.
Over the centuries, he said the lake has played a significant role in water security in the Valley by regulating the release of floodwaters.
But, he said, ”As we know that its capacity has been reduced, the Government should take immediate steps.”
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