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Flood threat: Authorities to identify low-lying villages

SRINAGAR: In view of the prediction of incessant rain and flood by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the government has decided to identify low lying villages of Kashmir to categorise them as per flood threat to counter a 2014-like situation.

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Samaan Lateef
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, June 26

In view of the prediction of incessant rain and flood by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the government has decided to identify low lying villages of Kashmir to categorise them as per flood threat to counter a 2014-like situation.

To prevent the recurrence of floods and save lives and property, the state government has increased water-holding capacity of the Jhelum river and its flood spill channel.

“All deputy commissioners shall identify low lying villages/ areas, which may get inundated due to floods, and categorise them as per the threat,” reads an official communiqué from Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Baseer Khan.

Jhelum river, which originates in south Kashmir and travels through Srinagar before entering into one of South Asia’s largest freshwater lake-Wullar- was hit by a major flood in 2014, submerging major portions of Srinagar and other districts. It was flowing at 1.20 lakh cusecs against its carrying capacity of 27,000 cusecs. The carrying capacity of the flood spill channel running parallel to the river is 8,000 cusecs.

Due to the accumulation of silt in the river, moderate rain has also been triggering flood-like situation in the Jhelum since then.

To mitigate the threat, the government is coming up with a comprehensive plan by preparing a database of the population which will get affected in case such a situation re-occurs.

“Finally, the government has woken up to counter flood threats we often face since 2014,” said Abdul Majid, who lives on Jhelum embankment, which will also go through a safety audit.

The directions were issued in view of the incessant rains and floods predicted for June and July.


Avoiding a repeat of 2014 

  • To prevent the recurrence of floods and save lives and property, the government is working on an evacuation plan to identify rescue centres where the affected population shall be temporarily relocated in the event of floods
  • Also, deputy commissioners have been asked to stress upon all departments concerned to conduct mock drills and patrol the low-lying areas
  • The director, health services, Kashmir, and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences have been asked to issue duty roster of doctors for rescue centres and keep essential medicines available to be used at the time of need
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