Jhelum, Dal on Watch: Kashmir Residents Wary of Rising Water Levels, I&FC Assures No Flood Threat

Jhelum, Dal on Watch: Kashmir Residents Wary of Rising Water Levels, I&FC Assures No Flood Threat

With intermittent rains continuing to lash the summer capital, residents living around river Jhelum and in the interiors of Dal Lake are gripped by constant fear due to rising water level.

Despite the levels in the Jhelum remaining below the danger mark, the wet weather has triggered concerns among locals, especially in low-lying areas. Residents in areas like Tailbal, Hazratbal, Soiteng, Mehjoor Nagar, Bemina, and other localities have expressed their worries about the absence of proper embankments to protect their homes from potential flooding.

Gulzar Ahmad, a fisherman from Tailbal area of Hazratbal said that, “every time it rains heavily, our entire area gets submerged. We lack robust bunds to shield our homes from inundation. We face immense hardships, but no one seems to listen to our problems.”

“After days of hardship, we reach home only to find our houses inundated. Rainfall creates enormous problems for us. We have to shift,” he said. He added that areas like Tailbal, Asthaan Mohalla, Khushu Pora, and Habbak Shanpora face similar situations whenever it rains heavily.

Residents from other parts of Srinagar echoed the same concerns due to the rising water levels and the lack of adequate protective measures. “We fear for our homes and our safety. The lack of proper embankments puts us at risk every time it rains,” said residents of Bemina. Chief Engineer at the Irrigation & Flood Control Kashmir Naresh Kumar, told that they have almost repaired embankments around the Jhelum.

“If people still have complaints, they can visit our department and register these. We will look into the complaints and solve the issues,” he said. Kumar said that a Flood Control room has been established at Ram Munshi Bagh, which is functional round the clock. “The water level in the Jhelum is somewhat alarming, but this is an intermittent rainfall. Continuous rainfall is a concern,” he said.

He also emphasised that before the onset of Western disturbances, like the monsoon or pre-monsoon period, the department identifies weak spots in the embankments and work to fix them over time. The Kashmir region continued to receive rainfalls with the MeT department predicting wet weather in the coming days.

An official from the MeT department said to expect generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain. “Higher reaches could see light snowfall. Be aware of potential thunderstorms, lightning, hailstorms, and gusty winds at some locations until April 28th,” they said.

Meanwhile, The Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department on Sunday said there is currently no immediate threat of flooding in the valley, despite heavy rainfall predictions for isolated areas of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly on April 28 and 29.

A senior official from the I&FC Department in Kashmir that they are actively monitoring the situation, stating that, as of now, there was no immediate danger of flooding in the valley and there was no need to panic.

“As of now, there is no flood threat in the valley, we are continuously monitoring the situation and on an hourly basis water level in Jhelum and other water bodies is being gauged”, the official said.

According to the latest update by the I&FC officials, at 6:00 pm on Sunday, the gauge at Ram Munshi Bagh indicated a water level of 10.87 ft, just below the warning threshold. Similarly, Sangam recorded 6.56 ft, Pampore over 15 M, and Asham 7.49 ft.

Despite the relatively stable water levels, officials however have urged caution among people advising against unnecessary venturing near the water bodies. They also said that if the need arises, they can divert the water volume of Jhelum into the flood channel as an alternative for Jhelum for excess water volume.

Pertinently, the MeT officials on Sunday said that the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy on April 30 with a possibility of light rain with thunder at many places. “Rainfall data during the last 24 hours till 8:30 am this morning, Srinagar has received 30.6 mm, Qazigund 23.0 mm, Pahalgam 18.6 mm, Kupwara 30.8 mm, Kokernag 16.4 mm, Gulmarg 20.6 mm, Jammu 0.3 mm, Banihal 29.6 mm, Batote 15.4 mm, Katra 1.8 mm and Bhadarwah 30.7 mm.

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Saturday chaired a meeting of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department to review the flood management and mitigation measures being evolved for Kashmir. The chief secretary called for devising an effective strategy to deal with the flood-like situation in Kashmir—(KNO)

Village Defence Guard Injured in Udhampur Militant Attack Previous post Village Defence Guard Injured in Udhampur Militant Attack
Wont Contest If Opposition Guarantees Article 370 Restoration: Sajad Lone Next post Wont Contest If Opposition Guarantees Article 370 Restoration: Sajad Lone