WE THE PEOPLE
Flood Spill Channel like other channels in shambles, needs reactivation to act as safety valve for city of Srinagar
Hence new Govt should either take-up dredging work or ask people to excavate channel voluntarily under technical supervision
By: Uzair Khan
SRINAGAR: Kashmir Valley has a long history of floods and records are replete with instances to show that magnitude of damages has been of a very high order. The extent of damages can still be of higher order as channels like Flood Spill Channel have silted up and thus lost capacity to carry flood discharge whenever such a situation develops in the Valley of Kashmir. The Flood Spill Channel had been constructed initially from Padshahi Bagh to Parimpora to draw floodwaters upstream city of Srinagar and then drop 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 was expected to take care of excessive flood discharge whenever such conditions occurred in the Valley.
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 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 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 and contribute largely towards obstruction to the free flow of water. It is, therefore, high time to launch an intensive drive against all encroachments to improve carrying capacity of all water conductors.
As regards main flood spill channel, 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 channel. If the Government faces any financial crunch, then alternatively people are asked to go for excavation of the bed right from its head to tail. However, one precaution is needed that such excavation should be done under technical supervision so that the cross section of the channel is kept and maintained at a uniform level besides embankments are not damaged. It will help general masses to obtain earth free of cost, but it will simultaneously save the State exchequer from incurring huge sums of money on desilting of the said channel.
“It was in good olden days that 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 charged with the responsibility 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 lot of heavy equipment, but not deployed and has reportedly turned into a dead wood”, said a group of conscientious persons of Kashmir Valley.
Hence new Government should either get dredging work of Flood Spill Channel through its agencies or ask people to excavate it voluntarily under technical supervision. It would be appropriate that Engineers in-charge of Flood Spill Channel prepare plans and estimates for dredging of the channel to revive it to the level it had been designed and constructed.
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