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| Kashmir has flood history of 130 years, carrying capacity of water bodies reduced | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 7: Despite Kashmir having a history of floods, there has been reduction in carrying capacity of water bodies over the years due to siltation and encroachments.
Even though the flood threat may have been reduced following improvement in weather in past few days, the Kashmir valley would always remain at risk of floods as government had failed to take measures to prevent the region from catastrophe in future.
According to the official figures, the Valley has a history of floods of around 130 years. The first flood which has been recorded on the Shergari gauge dates back to July 21, 1893. The Shergari gauge, the first gauge was set up in 1893. Since then some major floods hit the Valley in 1900, 1902, 1903, 1905, 1912, 1929, 1948, 1950, 1957, 1959, 2014, in 2015, 2016, and now in 2018.
The Wular Lake which is the largest flood absorption basin has lost the water carrying capacity due to host of factors. Surveys have found that gross human interference, deforestation, encroachments, choking of water ways and reduction in capacity of wet lands due to heavy siltation posing an imminent threat of floods even by average downpour.
"The capacity of retaining water in water bodies has reduced over the years. Twenty percent of the Wullar Lake has been reduced due to the siltation. Other water bodies like Hokersar, Shalbugh have also witnessed siltation which leads reduction in retaining water capacity. Even the moderate rainfall poses a threat of flood in the Valley," an official of Irrigation and Flood Control Department said.
He said they can't make the water storage on rivers due to Indus Water Treaty that could have helped the Valley during floods.
According to the official sources, in 1902, when Kashmir witnessed a major flood, the then ruler Maharaja Pratap Singh was concerned about the problems posed by repeated floods. He approached the British engineers and asked them to suggest ways to deal with the problem.
The British engineers studied the problem in details and it was on their advice that the construction of flood spill channel was carried out in 1903-1904 and this channel was used as Bye-Pass flood channel.
It is on records that in the devastating floods, the flood channel carried a discharge of 20,000 cusecs flowing through the Gunde Aksha, Hokersar and further carried after addition to Mirgund Jheel, Nowgam Jheel and Haigam Jheel upto the Wullar Lake, which has now got reduced with the passage of time due to various factors.
However, an official Irrigation and Flood Control said a new flood channel would be created from Dogripora to Wullar to carry the surplus flood discharge of Jehlum which is expected to cost over Rs 18,000 crore and would prevent Valley from the future floods.
According to a disaster management report, 13 districts in J&K out of 100 districts in India have been identified as 'Multi Hazard Districts' and called for pro-active, holistic and comprehensive approach towards disaster risk reduction and management
The poor drainage system is another reason for water logging in most parts of the state especially in Srinagar city. Official sources said there was a lack of coordination between different departments which was one of the main reasons for non-improvisation of drainage system here.
"People thrown litter into the drainage pipes which leads to over flow and create water logging. It was one of the main reasons for water logging in Srinagar on Sunday," an official of SMC said. "Government has allowed permissions to constructions in a haphazard manner which was the reason for blockade of drains."
A senior official of HUDD said government had made a comprehensive master plan which will overcome drainage and sewage problems in the state but would require a lot of central funding. |
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