Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday visited Khushipora-Shariefabad to take stock of pace of dredging work of flood spill channel. Bukhari stressed on the executing agency to expedite dredging so that the target of increase in carrying capacity of the channel is meted out at an earliest.The Minister was informed that 5.50 lac cubic meters of silt were dredged out from river Jhelum Srinagar reach out of the 7 lac cubic meters target. In flood spill channel, from Bemina Bridge to Hokersar entry, Bukhari was informed that around 6 lac cubic meters of soil has been excavated out of 11.5 lac cubic meters target.The Minister was briefed that the excavated soil has been utilized for construction of flood protection Bunds for a length of about 4.5 Kilometers and has been also dumped on both sides of the Bypass (in green belt area) in Bemina for land development.The officers concerned informed the Minister that dredging work is in full swing at Shariefabad spot where 10 excavating machines have been pressed into service for dredging work.The Minister was informed that by the excavation of the Flood Spill Channel from Bemina to Khushipora will increase the carrying capacity of the channel from 8000 Cusecs to 30,000 Cusecs.The Minister directed Chief Engineer I&FC Kashmir and other engineers concerned with the project to take up the construction of Channel across Hokersar Wetland immediately.In the month of June-July, 2017 the government had formed cabinet sub-committee to monitor the dredging work of river Jhelum and Flood Spill Channel. Minister for Education Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari is the member of this committee.During his visit, the Minister directed Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) department to expedite the dredging of river Jhelum and its flood spill channels on war footing basis so that the carrying capacity of the river is increased.He also directed the officers to deploy an additional number of JCB’s at Khushipora-Shariefabad spot of flood spill channel so that the dredging work is finished soon at an earliest.The Minister was also briefed about the comprehensive site plan of Flood Spill Channel from Padshahi Bagh to Wullar Lake including Doodh Ganga diversion channel.On the occasion, locals of Khushipora called on the Minister with a demand for compensating them for the land utilized for widening of the flood spill channel at Khushipora measuring around 242 Kanals. Bukhari assured them that their demands will be redressed on priority and directed Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to resolve the grievances of these locals immediately.Later, the Minister inspected the Development of Green patches into Public Park under AMRUT scheme project at AL-Farooq colony, Bemina. Bukhari was informed that the estimated cost of the project is Rs 203 lacs with the 10,500 sq. meters total area covered and SMC is the executing agency.Bukhari directed SMC to complete this project by April 2018. He directed the Commissioner SMC to install LED lighting at the spot and go for plantation and other green-scrapping measures in this project so that the locals of the area are benefited.MLA Batamaloo Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Syed Abid Rashid Shah, Chief Engineer Irrigation & Flood control, Commissioner SMC, VC SDA and other concerned officers were accompanied with the Minister.