Srinagar: Describing encroachments over Baghe-Mehtab Flood Channel and illegal landfilling of Narkara wetland a measure threat in the context of floods, Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD) has requested the general public to desist from such illegal acts.
This was stated by Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) IFCD, Mrs. Ambreen in an informal chat with news agency Kashmir Dot Com- (KDC) on Monday, who is in charge of Bage-Mehtab and Rambagh flood channels.
She said that Doodh Ganga Nallah which travels 42 Kilometers from Peer Panchal Range to Srinagar is a flashy nallah and its discharge velocity becomes very high, whenever there are rains, which increases the risk of floods in low lying areas of Srinagar.
She said, “Like a flood mitigation measure, in case of rainfalls, the excess water of nallah is diverted to Narkara, as a flood mitigation measure through Baghe-Mehtab flood channel, where it is retained for few days to be diverted back into the nallah after water level recedes.”
“However, some miscreants have resorted to encroachments in the channel as well as in Narkara wetland, due to which the water holding the capacity of the channel has reduced to an alarming level, resulting in a flood threat to the low lying areas of South Srinagar Baghe-Mehtab, Chanpora, Natipora, Barzalla, Sanat Nagar and adjoining areas,” she said.
She requested the general public to desist from resorting to the illegal activities of encroachments in the flood channels and in the wetlands, which are the only safety from floods for South Srinagar areas, in case of incessant rainfall.
“Landfilling of the wetlands poses a major flood threat, which in any case should stop immediately,” she added.
While referring to the 2014 floods, she said that we ought to learn lessons from it and avoid the activities, which may increase the flood threat.
“Department has already taken necessary measures of drudging of the Nallah and also the flood channels in phase 1 and the phase 2nd is in its offing,” she said.
“Now it is the people who have to do their bit, to desist from the activities, which may pose a flood threat to the vulnerable areas,” she went on to add.
About Narkara wetland being officially declared a flood basin, the AEE said that the process of the declaration is going on and very soon this wetland will be notified as a flood basin. (KDC)