Govt fails to ‘tackle’ raging Veshaw tributary

There is no scheme in place with the J&K government to ‘tackle’ the raging Veshaw tributary in south Kashmir even as its high water discharge is significantly contributing to floods in the Valley.

The Veshaw Nallah—a major feeding source for river Jhelum in south Kashmir—originates from Kousarnag springs in Kulgam district and often wreaks havoc with properties, paddy lands and orchards falling along its banks.

According to residents of South Kashmir, the government has ignored their pleas to construct check dams and embankments on Veshaw. “A number of small rivulets, right from Gool Gulabgarh and Udhampur, ultimately empty into Veshaw Nallah which has a huge catchment area,” said a group of locals from Kulgam. “Unfortunately, the government is not doing anything to prevent damage that the Nallah causes following incessant rains.”

In 2014, according to officials, the Veshaw Nallah has been a major contributing factor to floods given its high and forceful water discharge. The waters from the Nallah—during the September 2014 deluge—wreaked havoc in areas of Kulgam and Anantnag, completely wiping off many villages, roads, bridges and water schemes, and also agriculture and orchard land. The flashfloods caused by the ferocious waters of the Nallah changed the course, devastating dozens of hamlets in Kulgam Tehsil including Aarigatnu, Chamgund, Achthal, Aadijan, Mirhama , Nihama, Zangapoora, Chehlan, Brazloo , Kelam Gund and others. The Nallah empties in Jhelum at Sangam in Anantnag district.

A number of experts had then attributed sudden swelling of Jhelum waters to massive discharge from Veshaw.

Last week, the tributary went roaring again, causing damage to properties, paddy and orchard land as well as infrastructure in Kulgam district and certain areas of Anantnag as well.

“The villages situated on the banks of Vaishaw Nallah in Kulgam are always vulnerable to flashfloods during incessant rains,” said an official in Irrigation and Flood Control department.

“Going for dredging of river Jhelum and strengthening its embankments won’t alone do. The government should put in place a proper flood management plan to treat major tributaries of Jhelum as well.”

“A team of experts needs to be constituted to recommend measures to treat the Vaishaw Nallah. Construction of check dams (small reservoirs) in the upper catchment of Veshaw would reduce the flow of water therein. Aforestation should also be promoted especially in upper catchments areas as roots penetrated in the soil hold the earth from being washed away,” he said, adding, “Removing encroachments, particularly huge constructions on Vaishaw, should be prioritized to prevent submerging of low-lying areas. The embankments on Veshaw in Khudwani, Redwani, Ruhpora villages of Kaimoh and some villages in Bijbehara area of Anantnag like Hussanpora, Hassanpora, Arwani and Laktipora villages need to strengthened to plug the breaches.”

Environmentalist and Head of Earth Sciences department at the University of Kashmir, Prof Shakil A Romshoo acknowledged that discharge from Veshaw river at Sangam contributed to sudden swelling of Jhelum during the September 2014 deluge. “It is actually these high ingredient tributaries—Veshaw, Lidder, Romshi, Rambira which converge at Sangam and lead to sudden increase in water there,” he said.

He said Veshaw causes more discharge to Jhelum mainly during southern disturbances which have an impact in Pir Panchal range area.

The issue of ‘treating Veshaw Nallah’ was recently raised by MLA, Kulgam, MY Tarigami during the District Development Board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control department, Javed Jaffar, said the department has already prepared many schemes for “special treatment” of various tributaries of Jhelum. “For Veshaw, a Rs 24 crore project was framed but it has not been approved by the government yet,” he said. He said the scheme includes construction of check dams and preventing erosion.

“At the moment we are focusing on Jhelum which is the major channel of these tributaries,” Jaffar said.

However, Jaffar admitted that discharge from Veshaw to Jhelum is always highest as compared other tributaries. “It did mainly contribute to swelling of Jhelum during September 2014 floods,” he admitted.