Flood threat: It’s time for CM Omar Abdullah to plan massive flood protection measures; discourage encroachments near water bodies; Poonch administration always encourage encroachments

Flood threat: It’s time for CM Omar Abdullah to plan massive flood protection measures; discourage encroachments near water bodies; Poonch administration always encourage encroachments

SALIL RAINA

(POONCH TODAY NEWS)

POONCH/JAMMU: The recent flood fury in Jammu has sent shock waves of fear among the residents of J&K UT, but the question arises, why did the J&K government fail to take proactive measures after the 2014 flood? Former Governor N.N. Vohra also brought the matter of illegal encroachment of water bodies and rivers across the J&K state to the notice of the then J&K government and also suggested strict measures.

But over the years, due to reasons best known to the government, a number of illegal colonies have been established near the river bodies across the J&K UT, but not a single action was initiated against any of them. Now, when Jammu city has witnessed the worst flood tragedy in more than four decades, the government is seen taking measures to address the issue. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah candidly said that he will look into the issue from 2014 onwards and will plan appropriate measures to avoid such a catastrophe again. It is pertinent to mention here that in the 2014 flood, Poonch city also faced massive devastation as the main S.K. bridge was cut off from the city. Omar Abdullah, as the then CM, visited the affected area near the S.K. bridge and recommended construction of an additional five spans to the S.K. bridge, but what happened after that is still a mystery, because the district administration Poonch, in connivance with the land encroachers, allowed construction of only two spans, giving them a massive area to encroach again. After the 2014 flood, the entire ‘Red Zone’ area has become a business center with hundreds of illegal structures. Now the question arises: who would be held responsible for a massive flood of Jammu’s intensity striking Poonch city and causing massive devastation again? The Poonch administration reportedly gave a green signal to the extension of ‘Joggers Park,’ and it is seen as a visionless decision of the district administration, who, despite witnessing the flood fury of Jammu, still has not learned any lesson. It is pertinent to mention here that the Poonch administration silently encouraged the construction of illegal structures in the same ‘Red Zone’ for which a detailed inquiry from the J&K government is needed to book real culprits. The intensity of the flood in Jammu city was massive, and it’s a big lesson for the people of the entire J&K not to encroach on water bodies, but who cares? In many districts of J&K UT, a massive encroachment of water bodies has taken place over the years, but not a single action has been taken against any of them. Unless the government takes action against the real culprits, there will be no improvement on the ground. The security agencies also raised alarm bells time and again about the rising criminal activities in the illegal colonies set up near the water bodies across the J&K UT, but those warnings of the security agencies were given a deaf ear by the babus. It’s high time for the Omar Abdullah-led government to start a massive exercise to look into the issue from the start and discourage encroachment of water bodies.J&K UT is prone to water-related disasters and is also prone to earthquake-related disasters, and if appropriate measures are not taken timely, the future of maximum districts of Jammu is not safe from natural disasters. The government led by CM Omar Abdullah needs to form a concrete flood protection-related policy to avoid massive devastation in the future by touching each and every district of the J&K UT. Those officers who encouraged this illegal practice of encroaching on water bodies need to be brought to justice to set a big benchmark for the future. The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has shown his utmost concern on the issue, but he needs to study the 2014 and 2025 flood issues for forming a high-level policy for the future that needs to be implemented on the ground in the entire J&K.