No coordination between Departments - Early Times Newspaper Jammu Kashmir

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No coordination between Departments

Proper drainage in Sgr city still a distant dream

Ishtiyaq Ahmad

8/7/2018 11:45:27 PM

Early Times Report

Srinagar, Aug 7: For the last over a decade now the government has spent hundreds of crores on drainage system here in the Srinagar city and other parts of valley, however there has been no or little difference on the ground.
Sources told early times that the state government had taken over hundreds of drainage schemes in Kashmir over the years. However most of them could not be completed due to lack of funds and lack of coordination between various departments.
Sources said that under the centrally sponsored scheme-Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and with the financial assistance of the World Bank, the government last year had said that 90 percent 'proper' drainage system will be in place in Srinagar by 2021. "Presently only 37 percent Srinagar city has drainage system. Under AMRUT scheme, the centre will provide Rs 390 crore in the next five years for 90 percent drainage system in Srinagar and Rs 300 crore will be from the World Bank project for it," the government had said.
However sources said that the Srinagar city continues to have the same poor drainage system that was in place a decade ago. "The lack of drainage system always poses a serious threat of water logging in Kashmir even by the average downpour. It has been learnt that around 500 drainage schemes were started over the years in Kashmir but less than 200 have been completed while work on other schemes have been stopped due to non-releasing of funds," sources maintained.
The official said the poor drainage system was the main reason for water logging in Srinagar during rains. "But areas that have drainage system don't face any such problem," he added.
Sources said the lack of coordination between different departments was one of the main reasons for non-improvisation of drainage system. "The R&B department first makes the construction of roads then we have to spend a lot of money in making the drainage system and then on repairing of roads. Before any road construction, the drainage system shall be in place prior to that," an official of the Housing and Urban Development department said.
He said the government has issued strict directions to departments to make coordination in developmental works. "Departments have been told that proper drainage system should be put in place before developmental works like constructions of roads and buildings are being made in any area," the official said.
The official said that the state government's failure to restore the drainage system of summer capital after the 2014 September floods had prompted the World Bank to provide funds for installation of 42 dewatering pumps in Srinagar city.
The drainage system in the valley, especially in Srinagar city, was badly hit during the 2014 floods. The Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) has also not been able to restore it permanently.

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