‘No flood warning system in Jammu and Kashmir’

Parliamentary panel raps Central Water Commission; asks GoI to coordinate flood control efforts in State

A parliamentary panel on water resources has slammed Central Water Commission (CWC), an agency that forecasts floods across India, for continuing to “elude” installation of warning systems in Kashmir which was hit by a devastating deluge in September 2014.

“The fact that Central Water Commission has no forecasting network in J&K reveals an appalling gap in flood management efforts of Government (of India) which was exposed to public glare during unprecedented flood in the State in 2014,” reads the report of Standing Committee on Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The report, a copy of which is in possession of Greater Kashmir, was tabled in the Parliament on May 12.

While recommending to the Commission to set up a centralized forecasting station in J&K “without wasting time” the panel has asked Union Ministry for Water Resources to work in close coordination with J&K to ensure that works related to flood control and management don’t proceed in an unplanned and haphazard manner.

Member of the Standing Committee, Tariq Hamid Karra said the panel, which has a recommendatory role, has shown the way in its 127-page report to the authorities concerned for taking measures to overcome flood related problems in J&K.

“If the recommendations of the report are implemented in toto, most of the flood related problems will get resolved for decades to come,” said Karra who is MP from Peoples Democratic Party.

Kashmir has a long history of floods and as per official records the Valley has been hit by floods at least 10 times since 1905. As per experts, Kashmir has grown vulnerable to floods owing to impact of global warming on glaciers, particularly along Himalayan range in Kashmir.

Absence of modern forecasting systems proved a major setback for J&K Government when the state was hit by flood last year. Around 300 people died in the deluge that caused huge damage to public and private infrastructure. The deluge, which struck large parts of state in first week of September, was caused by unprecedented rainfall which caused Jhelum River to overflow its banks.

Kashmir was the worst hit in the deluge and the summer capital of Srinagar remained inundated for more than two weeks. Nearly 3.50 lakh structures – mostly residential houses – were fully or partially damaged in the floods.

While the CWC has presence in 18 States/UTs covering nine river basins/71 sub-basins where flood warnings are issued at 147 stations with accuracy of 96%, it doesn’t have a single flood warning system installed in J&K.

The Commission has instead only hydrological observation stations, 11 on Chenab River basin and five on Jhelum River basin, which are mainly for gauging discharge, silt and water quality and has come under fire for not installing flood forecasting systems in Kashmir.

“…We have been given responsibility for managing and maintaining data base network in Indus Basin as per (Indus) Water Treaty with Pakistan. Our focus has been mainly on the treaty whereas flood control and flood management responsibilities were largely being handled by J&K Government,” the CWC deposed before the panel which has members from both Houses of Parliament.

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a New Delhi-based research and advocacy group has highlighted how J&K has become vulnerable to floods owing to unplanned urbanization, shrinking of water bodies and impact of global warning.

In its study on September flood in Kashmir, the CSE has noted that extreme weather event, triggered by changing climate, could have contributed to the deluge apart from encroachment of lakes, ponds and wetlands for construction of buildings and roads in past hundred years.

Despite Kashmir being highly vulnerable to floods, J&K Government too has not set up its own flood warning system in the Valley. Flood Forecasting System helps in assessing floods as river water levels are measured on an hourly basis, unlike at Hydrological Observation Stations where the levels are calculated during different intervals, ranging from once to three times a day.

Chief Engineer Flood Control Department, JavedJaffer, said the Department receives only weather forecast information from Meteorological Department stationed at Srinagar.

“We only predict weather system but as far as floods are concerned, the CWC and State Flood Control Department deal with it,” said Director Meteorological Department, Sonum Lotus.

The CWC which provides advice to States, enabling some advance preparedness, is under fire for not having a flood warning system installed in Kashmir.

Director of the Commission, VD Roy, said they would set up the warning system in Srinagar next month. “We have been already working on it for some months now,” he said.