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| Constructions along flood channel in Sgr, ‘Govt must launch forceful drive against illegal structures along water bodies’, says Sgr residents | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 31: Although the Union territory government has initiated a process to safeguard the water bodies, the Illegal constructions continue to destroy the flood channel here in Srinagar Kashmir.
A team headed by District Statistics & Evaluation Officer and comprising Executive Engineers of Irrigation & Flood Control Department, Tehsildars and other associated officials had initiated the audit on ground and had had observed that building permissions obtained in prohibited zones of Jhelum river and flood spill channels over a period of time without obtaining the mandatory NOC of the flood control department.
A local here in the Rajbagh Srinagar told early times that SMC did not allow them even for minor repairs without proper permission. “It seems that rules are only for the common masses while the government is allowing constructions for influential people even in flood channels,” the resident said wishing not to be named.
Sources said that near the flood channel Mehjoor Nagar Srinagar scores of illegal constructions have been raised by some influential people.
Jhelum, one of the oldest rivers of the Valley, is at the receiving end of encroachments, pollution, and dumping. Illegal establishments are infringing the river embankments at various places in the city.
One of the top officials said that the Government has observed that the authorities have only laid focus on Jhelum River by launching Phase-I of Flood Management Programme and removal of illegal constructions, similar attention needs to be paid towards other rivers and water bodies, which too had contributed in destruction during September 2014.
“Illegal residential colonies that have come up on the wetlands and river banks over the decades are aggravating the chances of floods not only in Srinagar city but in other parts of the State also. Now we have directed the concerned authorities in the state to launch forceful drive against illegal structures,” the official wishing anonymity said.
It is to mention here that the committee on estimates in its report had said that the irrigation and flood control department should remove all illegal structures along the water bodies with the assistance of police under the directions of the Deputy Commissioner concerned and stern action should be taken against the erring persons.
The committee has also said that the Government should in view of topography and requirements/ problems of people, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department should prepare a blueprint for completion of all projects/schemes of major rivers and water bodies in the State”.
Following the September 2014 floods, the High Court had directed the government to remove encroachments along the water bodies. After which the government removed constructions on several places on the banks of Jehlum.
A senior official of the Irrigation and Flood Control department said the Wular Lake, which is the largest flood absorption basin has lost the water carrying capacity due to a host of factors.
“Several surveys have found that gross human interference, deforestation, encroachments, chocking of waterways and reduction in capacity of wet lands due to heavy siltation posing an imminent threat of floods even by average downpour,” the official said.
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