In the aftermath of recent devastating floods in the valley, which severely affected the life in Srinagar and adjoining localities, the Department of Flood Control has taken up the restoration works on war-footing.Giving details about the flood restoration activities undertaken by the Department, a spokesman of the Flood Control Department has stated that as a result of huge volume of flood water, it spilled over the Jhelum banks, and the water got accumulated in the low lying areas within the confined bowls. The drainage of the inundated areas was a priority in absence of any dewatering mechanism, as most of the dewatering pumps and other equipment was under the water and without electricity.
To drain out the water from various pockets by gravity back into river Jhelum after the water level in the river had receded, the cuts were given at different locations like Jawahar Nagar, Kursoo Rajbagh, Lal Ded Hospital, Convent, Golf Course, Peerzoo, Shivpora, Dental College, Zini Kadal, Allochibagh, Parimpora etc. He said that after draining out the accumulated water, the plugging of cuts was immediately started. The cuts were filled and compacted with compactors/road rollers and original status restored completely. Similarly, the damaged embankments are also being restored besides the connectivity on all the damaged areas, cut bunds has been fully restored, the spokesman maintained.Saying that the Department has been seriously involved in the restoration of damaged infrastructure from day one, the spokesman added that the vigorous efforts to further strengthen the bunds shall continue along the river Jhelum and its tributaries.
The Department would also devise a well-knit strategy to thwart such catastrophic in future. The Department acted swiftly to deal with the flood situation from the initial period, but gradually the things worsened and later went out of control when unprecedented volume of water entered river Jhelum. The spokesman strongly confronted the views of certain people that the Department did not take appropriate and timely measures to deal with the flood situation.