SRINAGAR: The Administrative Council (AC) held here under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha gave administrative approval to Jhelum flood protection works by the Jal Shakti Department in Kashmir division.
Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary, J&K and Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor participated in the meeting.
The Administrative Council approved the Project-Comprehensive Plan for Jhelum River and its Tributaries, Phase (II) Part (A) amounting to Rs 1623.43 crore under PM’s Development Package.
The proposed works to safely reduce the flood risk of 1700 cumec (60000 cusec) are based on existing site conditions and issues on the main Jhelum downstream of the confluence including the Wular Lake, the flood spill channel and the outfall channel including tributaries. To deal with the issues of drainage congestion for safe passage of flood waters and to reduce the loss of life and property, channel improvement and conservation work has been proposed at vulnerable places in Jhelum river, flood spread channel and outfall channel.
The project comprises of various components including improvement in the discharge capacity of river Jhelum to 1700 cumec; bank / toe protection function; raising of dams/embankments; Re-division/Channel Reformation of Main Jhelum and Barh Spill Channel; Re-modeling/renovation of bridges at various RDs in OFC; Measures to prevent erosion in vulnerable areas of main Jhelum, outfall channel and flood spill channel and its tributaries; and dredging/widening of outfall channel including navigation channel at Sopore.
Apart from increasing the carrying capacity of Jhelum river and outfall channels, the project will also regulate silt input from tributaries by proposed anti-erosion works at critical locations and rejuvenate/rejuvenate the life of water bodies like Hokarsar and Naugham by redistributing them. Will increase Manufacture of connets/inside channels and inlet/exit regulating gates.
The project will protect flood-affected areas along Jhelum in Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, Anantnag, Pulwama and Bandipora districts and generate 119 lakh man-days of employment for skilled workers and 381 lakh man-days for unskilled workers respectively. It will be completed in three years.
The project was conceived based on the recommendations made by a three-member group headed by the Chairman, Central Water Commission, which was formed soon after the September 2014 floods on the instructions of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. This will reduce the flood risk of 1700 cumecs (60000 cusecs) in the Jhelum basin. (GNS)
