Administration has not learnt lessons from September deluge: Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami

‘Defunct drainage, conversion of wetlands responsible for water logging’

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 19-Mar-2016

Expressing serious concern over the post rains situation in Srinagar city, CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has said that it seems the administration is not ready to learn lessons from the massive deluge September 2014.“It seems the administration has still not learnt any lessons from the massive deluge that submerged Kashmir especially the Srinagar city in 2014. It is not that weather warnings were not issued a week ago. Rainfall has not only compounded the woes of the people but have exposed the ill preparedness of the concerned departments,” Tarigami remarked. The CPI (M) leader stressed on the need to address the defunct drainage system that needs to be redesigned. “The redesigning should be done taking into account the present and future realities, particularly keeping in view the recent devastating floodwaters. Besides, the waterways and basins need to be reclaimed, he observed.

The CPI (M) leader termed official permission to convert marshes and wetlands in and around Srinagar into residential colonies as the most unfortunate dereliction of responsibilities.“These wetlands and marshes where many government offices and residential colonies have sprung up since 1990, would actually act like sponge to soak the access flood/rainwater. This brazen conversion is now resulting into water-logging and inundation of business hubs, roads and posh residential areas in Srinagar over the years, more frequently post-September 2014 floods,” he added.He said the residents of Srinagar are still grappling with the worst kind of water-logging caused due to the failure of the city’s drainage system. “In absence of regular or periodical de-silting of the Jhelum and the Rambagh flood channel, the carrying capacity of the river has reduced a lot, and this needs to be addressed on priority,” he said, and urged the administration to put all men and machinery into service so that people take a sigh of relief. (KNS)