WE THE PEOPLE
Seeking Rs 100 cr Central assistance likely to improve discharging capacity of River Jehlum
But Govt must simultaneously launch drive against encroachments and get entry of pollutants into water body stopped
By: M. Shirjeel
SRINAGAR: The State government is reportedly approaching the Central government to extend financial assistance to the tune of Rs 100 crores for improvement of river Jehlum. It is learnt that a detailed Project has been formulated for dredging of the outfall channel besides improvement of tributaries to render it fit to carry flood discharge without overtopping its embankments. The river has number of shoals, islands with heavy plantation and stands encroached massively by unscrupulous elements regardless of the disastrous effects of such vandalism. They have not only reduced the carrying capacity of the river, but also hastened their own doom.
It is worth mentioning that Kashmir Valley has peculiar hydraulic characteristics and as such uncertain flood conditions, which have been leaving a trail of death and destruction so far. It was in this background that Engineers in the past went for construction of Flood Spill Channel from Padshahi Bagh upto Parimpora to draw waters upstream city of Srinagar and then drops back the same just downstream the city near Parimpora. Later the Channel was extended upto Narbal, but it did not serve the purpose. Finally, the experts suggested its extension upto Banyari where it meets the Wullar Lake. With the extension of the channel to its terminus point, it has taken care of excessive flood discharge whenever such conditions occurred in the Valley. Now the main channel has silted up to alarming proportions and lost its utility beyond description. Besides officials of UEED and SMC continue to drop all waste matter and sullage into it.
It was during late seventies that attention was paid towards flood problem and a team of experts requisitioned from the Central Water Commission (CWC) besides the services of an expert from the University of Punjab were hired to formulate a project that could provide measures to control floods in the Valley. Finally, a Master Plan was prepared to suggest measures to counteract any threat to the lives and property of Kashmir population. But it is unfortunate that no concrete action has been taken since its formulation and thus the threat looms large all along the horizon of the Valley. Moreover, there are huge encroachments on water-bodies, especially the river Jhelum which have further decreased the carrying capacity of flood discharge. There are large lagoons and islands, which are full of plantation contributing largely towards obstruction to the free flow of water. It is, therefore, high time to launch an intensive drive against all obstructions to make way for free flow of water besides get discharging of pollutants into water bodies stopped. It is advisable that the State Government takes steps to remove the debris and silt load that has largely reduced the carrying capacity of the channels.
“In olden days, the authorities would involve people under `Halasheri’, but would get works executed under proper supervision. That was not free for all as is noticed in case of flood spill channel downstream Narbal Bridge nowadays. People have deployed trucks, tippers and heavy equipment to excavate earth, but all this is being done quite haphazardly. Much damage has been caused to the banks and their restoration will strain State Exchequer quite heavily. Had people been permitted under some well-drawn plan and some technical personnel kept in-charge of such operation, things would not go out of control. It is better that such works are done by general masses as it will help both the parties, but whatever is to be done needs proper planning and supervision. The technical personnel in-charge of the channel should be assigned the job of preparing plans reach-wise and people involved in the work accordingly. Moreover, the main river needs dredging, but that should be done at its out-fall channel as it had been planned in the past. In fact, the State Government had purchased lot of dredgers and other heavy equipment, but that has reportedly turned into a junk today”, said a group of elderly persons of Kashmir Valley.
Hence the State government must impress upon the Central Authorities to allot the requisite funds to improve the River Jehlum along with all its tributaries to improve discharging capacity to minimize losses caused by floods, whenever these occur. It would be also appropriate that SPCB comes into action and gets dropping of pollutants into river Jehlum and Flood Spill channel stopped without any further delay.
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