No lessons learnt
Kashmir Valley is witnessing an unprecedented seasonal change. We are in the mid June and the temperature in Kashmir valley is much below the normal that would otherwise be experienced here during this part of the year.
Apart from the change in temperature we are also witnessing an increased downpour during the last few months. The phenomenon has led to an increased worry among the entire farming community besides the general populace as the water level in all major rivers and tributaries has increased tremendously.
This being the reason that just a day’s downpour leads to a panicky situation in entire Kashmir region as people fear for floods, the worst nightmare the people have since the September 2014 deluge left almost the entire population effected.
Any prolonged period of rains in Kashmir is enough to trigger floods and the blame can be put straightaway on the unplanned dredging of river Jehlum, weak river embankments and ill-preparation of the government to deal with the rising waters. The governments lackadaisical attitude indicates that no lessons have been learnt from the deadly deluge of September 2014.
Post September 2014 nothing concrete was done on ground to prevent damage of such a huge volume. The PDP-BJP government made tall claims about dredging of river and raising the height of river embankments, but just two days of incessant rains from June 10 to 12 punctured all the tall claims as many regions including Pattan and Tangmarg witnessed flood like situation. In many other areas of Baramulla dozens of villages had to be evacuated as flood waters entered several dozen homes creating panic among the locals.
Water level in river Jhelum at the crucial point Sangam in southern Kashmir was near the danger mark. The water level was also threatening at Ram Munshibagh in Srinagar as well.
What is worrying is that no concrete and modern ways of dealing with the flood like situation have been adopted by the government. The administration still relies on sand filled polythene bags to control the situation and once the flood threat is over even this cosmetic measure vanishes in thin air.
Just the two days of rains resulted in many major breaches in Vaishow Nallah in South Kashmir that is the main tributary feeding the river Jhelum. Similar complaints were received from many other areas across Kashmir as people at most of the places were themselves trying to rectify the fault lines left unattended on the various embankments.
Notably, more than 200 meetings were held since September 2014 floods, but nothing concrete was either put in place nor approved by the officials to help ease out the situation that may once again arise out of the rising water level in major rivers including river Jhelum.
What is alarming to note is that the company that was allotted the dredging works in Jhelum has left the task midway and almost 90% of the payments that were to be made to the company have been released by the officials.
The dredging works have officially been stopped since March 2018 and the company has escaped the law without being even questioned about the laxity it has resorted to.
KV Network
