Flood Management Plan: Jehlum dredging from Sangam-Asham unlikely as study by Pune based Institute warns Govt

‘Dredging process would reduce lag time, may prove detrimental for Sgr City’

In the second phase of much-hyped flood management plan, the dredging process of river Jhelum from Sangam area of Anantnag to Asham area in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district would unlikely be carried out as the study conducted by a Pune based institute has warned against it.

The study, as per the officials, has revealed that the dredging in between the areas would prove detrimental rather than fruitful for Srinagar City,

Officials in the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department, while divulging the details to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), an official in the I&FC department said that a mathematical study has been conducted by Centre Water Power Research Station, Institute of Pune, which has advised not to carry out dredging process in between Sangam in Anantnag to Asham in Bandipora.

“The dredging process if carried out would end up in reducing the lag time, which would give a less chance to the department for starting the evacuation process during the floods. At present, the lag time of water flow from Sangam to Srinagar is four hours, but in case the dredging process is done, the water would reach Srinagar only in 2 to 2:30 minutes, thus simultaneously, it would lessen the time for evacuation process in Srinagar,” he said.

However, he said that the dredging process would be started under this phase only at two places, which include flood channel Rambagh, Srinagar and Nimli Sopore. “These two places have been identified through a study, which will prove fruitful for the flood mitigation,” he said.

“As far as dredging of Jhelum river is concerned, there is no proposal or DPR with regard to the dredging process,” he said, adding that the dredging process, whatever was mandatory, has been done in the first phase only, which was completed at the end of 2018.

Furthermore, he said that the other works under phase-II of FMD plan like protecting embankments, ditching, toe walls and other related works will be carried out soon.

Pertinently, after the 2014 floods, the government approved a two-phase flood management plan for the Jhelum under the Prime Minister’s Development Package. The second phase of the plan amounts to Rs 1684 crore—(KNO)