Governor directs speedy dredging work on river Jhelum

JAMMU, FEBRUARY 2: Governor N.N Vohra has directed the Irrigation & Flood Control Department to ensure high speed work and completion of all dredging which is required to be carried out on river Jhelum. He was reviewing the progress in this regard at the Raj Bhavan here today. Under the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Programme 2015, “Priority Works- Comprehensive Plan for Flood Management Works on Jhelum-Phase-I” costing Rs. 399.29 crore for implementing “Comprehensive Plan for Flood Management Works on Jhelum” has recently been sanctioned by the Government of India.
In today’s review the Governor noted that cumulative dredging work done in the Jhelum river stretch from Khannabal Bridge to Halamulla was 2,01,700 cum till January 2016 against a target of 2,89,700 cum to be completed till February 2016. Similarly, for Sethar to Sempora stretch of the river it was 1,12,500 cum till January 2016 against a target of 1,55,000 cum till February 2016; for Lasjan to Shalteng stretch, it was 66150 cum till January 2016 against a target of 95,000 cum to be completed till February 2016; for Shalteng to Panzinara stretch of the river it was 23,680 cum till January 2016 as against a target of 52,500 cum till February 2016; for Panzinara to Banyari stretch of the river it was 129,200 cum till January 2016 as against a target 2,22,500 cum till February, 2016.
Similarly, for the outfall channel at Baramulla from Pohru to Janbazpora it was 25590 cum till January 2016 against a target of 33,000 cum till February 2016. On the flood spill channel from Padshahi Bagh to Wullar cumulative achievement was 81820 cum till January 2016 as against a target of 1,14,450 cum to be completed till February 2016.
As per the Secretary I&FC’s report, as on 29th January 2016 the status of work done in the various stretches in the month of January, 2016 is as below: 72,000 cum against target of total 80,000 cum in Khannabal Bridge to Halamulla stretch; 25,000 cum against target of 37,500 cum in Sethar to Sempora stretch; 30,650 cum against target of 30,500 cum in Lasjan to Shalteng stretch; 12,180 cum against targetof 18,000 cum from Shalteng to Panzinara stretch; 56,700 cum against target of 60,000 cum from Panzinara to Banyari stretch; and 5,590 cum against target of 6000 cum from Pohru to Janbazpora stretch. Dredging has been completed to the extent of 25,720 cum against target of 38,100 cum envisaged to be done in the Flood Spill Channel from Padshahibagh to Wullar.
The Governor was informed that identification of dyke sites and mobilization of Dredgers has been initiated at the sites of Bell mouth of FSC to Panzinara and at Outfall Channel Baramulla.
A Raj Bhavan spokesperson recalled that in a meeting held on 14th January 2016 in the Civil Secretariat, the Governor had directed the Secretary, Irrigation and Flood Control to ensure time-bound completion of dredging works on the stretch of river Jhelum from Anantnag to Baramulla and the Flood Spill Channels. The Governor had also directed time-bound completion of all emergent works in the Mission mode by constituting a Group headed by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, to promptly deal with all matters connected with land acquisition, removal of encroachments etc. He had also asked Chief Secretary to issue formal directions to all concerned officers to devote day to day attention to all emergent Flood Management Works including dredging, strengthening of bunds and removal of encroachment along Jhelum and its tributaries.
A Raj Bhavan Spokesperson informed that the Governor will be shortly visiting Srinagar soon to personally inspect the ongoing dredging work being done in the river Jhelum. The Governor has also directed the Chief Secretary to personally monitor the progress of dredging regularly and send him progress reports every ten days. Shri Vohra has also directed the Secretary (I&FC) to personally inspect the dredging works and to ensure resolution of all issues, if any, for time bound completion.