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| Now, Govt starts filling Doodh Ganga canal to rehabilitate political workers | | |  ET Report
Srinagar, May 29: In brazen violation of norms, the government has started land-filling of crucial water channel, the Doodh Ganga in Batamaloo locality here to "rehabilitate workers of a particular political party."
This "controversial" work is being executed by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC). Insiders said some SMC officials in league with a group of politicians from the ruling coalition are getting the canal land-filled to create grounds for the rehabilitation of political workers who will construct shops and houses at the upcoming land. "We have been asked to complete the earth filling and subsequent leveling of this area within four days," said an official, asking not to be named. Sources said even though some SMC staffers had resented the move terming it illegal, such voices were silenced by the politicians having vote bank stakes in Srinagar. "We were asked to get ready for transfer and departmental probes if we don't approve the game plan," said a delegation of staffers.
For the last two days, massive land-filling is on, as hundreds of trucks dumped earth in the water-body, which has already been a victim of haphazard urbanization. Scores of JCBs are equally working day and night to get the work completed at an earliest.
Around 20 kanal area of this canal has been land-filled while the locals are up in arms. They said the free flow of waters in this particular stretch proved a blessing for them during the September 2014 floods. "That time the flood waters drained out of the area very rapidly only because this portion of the canal was open, but now the flood spill channel is being filled again," the locals said.
Just last year, during the first innings of the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janta Party alliance, a major chunk of this canal in the neighborhood was filled, where a politician got an illegal TATA Sumo bus stand constructed to benefit some of his "loyalists in the transport industry." "Last year, half the canal was buried, this year the remaining portion is being buried," said the residents of Lakshman Pora, Batamaloo.
Experts said the land-filling has made the area more vulnerable to floods. "During September floods, it was proven beyond doubt that this dying canal is the natural way out for flood waters. But still the authorities have not learnt any lessons," said a senior official in the Irrigation and Flood Control Department showing videos of the 2014 floods.
Pleading the land-filling, the SMC officials it was being done on the formal consent of the District Development Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmed Lone. "We have taken his permission," the officials said.
The DDC however told Early Times that he has not issued any such orders. "I have not issued any orders. I am unaware of this. I will get the work stopped right now," he told this morning.
But land-filling was going on in the afternoon when this report was being filed. |
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