When the Jhelum river crossed the danger levels on Wednesday night, a department Flood Control panic hit was forced to sound the warning of flooding.
By Thursday afternoon, the Jhelum, which had swollen after only 15 hours of rain-threatened to break their embankments in the summer capital as the body of water had already breached its federations in Pampore and Baramulla.
Kashmir was in the middle of another situation like floods. The threat, however, passed by Thursday night as the weather improved, but not before the State Government received another wake-up call.
“Today, a rain of just two days will cause flooding in Kashmir,” said ShakilRomshoo earth scientist who conducted a detailed study of the devastating flood that hit Kashmir in September 2014. “It will not require rain for a week continues today have another flood because the water table is saturated and the situation has worsened remained for years Jhelum sedimentation and invasion of other water bodies and flood basins Kashmir “.
June-25-flood situation as a reminder of last year’s devastating flood-was in fact the third time in the last four months in which rainfall of less than two days created flood like situation, which forced the government to sound alarms.
In March this year the government declared flood twice when the roaring Jhelum embankment breached in several places along its course of Islamabad (Anantnag) to Srinagar to Baramulla.
Kashmir has a long history of flooding and after each flood, the Valley has seen a flood of low intensity the next year or two years later.
“It has happened in the past and there is no definite pattern to it,” Romshoo said.
What is more worrying is that even experts decreased rainfall intensity three times since March this year brought Kashmir is on the verge of another flood.
“We are missing the point that how situation will result if more rains in July, August or September. In the recent past, Kashmir has recorded rainfall in these months also and that is worrying given the minimal preparation on the ground,” he said an official from the Department of Flood Control.
In the past, Kashmir, according to records, has always been subject to severe flooding in September. Last year’s flood also devastated Kashmir in the same month that precipitation occurred for nearly a week.
Meteorological Department Director Sonum Lotus said in September 1996 Kashmir was hit by flooding after the heavy rain in June that year.
He said Kashmir could receive rainfall in the coming months, as has been the pattern and also by the impact of the monsoon, which has already affected several States.
“But it remains to be seen what the intensity of precipitation. Climatologically March and April are rainy seasons in Kashmir and August and September are dry months. But we had devastating flood in September last year and in the past also, the floods have affected Valley in September, “Lotus said.
Given the strange weather that hit Kashmir and time again, after last year’s flood, there are fears among experts that Valle could be fighting in another flood in the coming months.
What happens if the threat becomes real?
“As for preparing to deal with flooding as location is concerned, nothing has changed in the past nine months after flood last year. In fact, the danger has grown from Jhelum have weakened embankments and beds of Jhelum and its spill channel floods and other water bodies are clogged, “the official said.
The Government has not done so far, including a detailed report on the pattern of flood and flooding last year in order to develop a policy for the management of long-term flood study. The summer capital of Srinagar was under flood for the first time last year after 1902 flooding.
“How and why it happened and what factors led to the flooding of Srinagar? These questions have been received no response,” the official said.
Except for dredging of Jhelum in some “hot spots” and filling the embankment patches were washed by the flood, the Flood Control Department has done nothing reassuring message deluge September.
To put it in simple words, the situation remains grim on the ground in relation to flood management.
A study by the Department of Environment and Remote Sensing (DERS) and ISRO after September 2014 flood has already warned of the impending threat of flooding in Kashmir, while recommending sedimentation Jhelum and other water bodies and the recovery flood basins.
But there is no word of when dredging Jhelum government would begin on scientific lines to increase its capacity. An official report recently highlighted the full width of Jhelum only 1/5 of which has been left without the invasion.
The problems have been compounded succeeded due to the failure of the State Government so far to convince New Delhi to fund Rs 18,000 crore and Rs 401 management programs flooding crore for the Valley, which is very vulnerable to flooding.
Under the two projects of the plan is the construction of a new channel of spill flood capacity of 60,000 cusecs Sangam to Wullar Lake, conduct the dredging of the channel of Jhelum and spill flood to increase its capacity from the current 40,000 60,000 cusecs cusecs, and expand the existing flood spill channel.
Spanning more than 175 Kanals, Jhelum originates in southern Kashmir and after passing through Srinagar flows into Wullar Lake before entering Pakistan-administered Kashmir district of Baramulla.
During last year’s floods, several parts of Srinagar and other districts in northern and southern Kashmir remained under flood water for more than 10 days. At least 300 people died in the floods, while as state witnessed losses of about one lakh crore in both the public and private sectors, in the flood.
Flood Control Minister Sukhnandan said they would outsource the dredging of Jhelum and its tributaries, including flood channels to expedite the work of flood management in view of the imminent threat of flooding in Kashmir.
But the government continues to remain silent about the fate of the programs of flood management.
“Only Jhelum dredging and strengthening the dikes will not address the impending threat of flooding. The need of the hour is a flood management policy for the next 30 years and its rapid implementation,” Romshoo said.
