Srinagar, Feb 25 : In a significant move to demarcate and designate flood basin areas of River Jhelum, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri on Sunday chaired a preliminary meeting to discuss modalities for the notification of flood basin zones.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioners of Pulwama, Srinagar, Budgam, Bandipora, and Ganderbal, besides Chief Engineer Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC), Executive Engineers, and officers from the Wildlife and Ecology, Environment, and Remote Sensing departments.
At the outset, officers from the Irrigation & Flood Control Department gave a detailed presentation outlining the inundation areas affected by the devastating September 2014 floods. They also provided an overview of flood zoning in relation to land use, with an emphasis on regulating human activity in flood-prone areas. The presentation covered the current status and mapping of flood basins, including Hokersar Wetland, Nowgam Jheel, Higam Jheel, Narkara Numbal, Anchar Lake, Wullar Lake, and the left side of River Jhelum from Sangam to Padshahibagh.
The meeting deliberated on a diverse range of issues related to flood mitigation and impact reduction. Discussions centered on the classification of flood basin areas into three zones—prohibited, regulated, and warning—based on the permissibility of human activities.
Addressing the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner directed the Deputy Commissioners to convene meetings with officials from the Irrigation & Flood Control, Forest, and Revenue departments to conduct a comprehensive study and survey of flood basins. He urged them to submit tentative proposals for notifying the designated flood basin areas.
Meanwhile, in view of the inclement weather forecast, the Divisional Commissioner directed all Deputy Commissioners to remain vigilant and ensure that men and machinery are kept in readiness to maintain uninterrupted essential services across the valley, thereby facilitating the general public.[KNT]
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