J&K unlikely to get Central funds for flood protection works along river Chenab during current year too

Adherence to CWC’s guidelines could have avoided present situation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 27: State Government is unlikely to get Central funds for flood protection works along mighty river Chenab during the current year too as the Union Water Resources Ministry has made in-depth study of morphological changes of the river mandatory and raised queries on several other aspects after going through the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that keeping in view large scale damages being caused due to rise in the water of river Chenab during every monsoon season the need for protection works at all the vulnerable spots downstream the steel bridge at Akhnoor was felt some years back and accordingly a process was set into motion for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR).
Early last year Detailed Project Report worth Rs 195.71 crore was prepared for protection works at around 54 vulnerable spots downstream steel bridge Akhnoor on the left and right banks of river Chenab and then submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for technical appraisal. Thereafter, the project reached the Union Ministry of Water Resources for sanction and release of Central assistance under Flood Management Programme.
However, the Ministry has raised certain queries after going through the Detailed Project Report and made study of morphological changes of the river mandatory, sources said, adding the Ministry has explicitly told the State Government that unless exact picture vis-à-vis shapes of river channels and how they change in shape and direction over time is made available sanctioning of funds would not be possible.
“River morphology has been a subject of great challenge to the scientists and engineers who recognize that any effort with regard to river engineering must be based on a proper understanding of the morphological features”, sources said, adding “understanding of the morphology and behavior of any river is pre-requisite for a scientific and rational approach to proper planning and design of water resources projects”.
Though the State Government has almost prepared replies to queries raised by the Water Resources Ministry yet study of morphological changes of river will take time as the Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune, which has been approached by the State Government, has conveyed that at least six months time will be required to conduct morphology study of the river, sources informed. Moreover, the Central Water and Power Research Station has demanded Rs 18.70 lakh as charges for accomplishment of the task.
Due to this, the State Government is unlikely to get Central funds for flood protection works along river Chenab during the current year too as it would be only on the receipt of study that the Water Resources Ministry will sanction and release funds, sources said. They, however, said that Irrigation and Flood Control Department is carrying out protection works at some most vulnerable spots by utilizing State share.
When contacted, a senior officer of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department confirmed that Water Resources Ministry has laid stress on morphology study before release of Central assistance, adding as far as most vulnerable spots are concerned protection works are in full swing while as for all the identified areas Central assistance is must.
Responding to a question, he said that Central Water and Power Research Station will shortly start morphology study as funds to pay 50% charges to the institute have been arranged.
According to the sources, morphology of any river has never been conducted in Jammu and Kashmir which otherwise is prone to floods during monsoon season. The non-serious approach towards this vital aspect is notwithstanding the fact that the Central Water Commission had in the month of March 2009 issued detailed guidelines for conducting morphology studies of the rivers and water bodies particularly those which have the history of causing floods.
These guidelines were brought to the notice of all the States where floods during the monsoon season are a regular phenomenon and J&K was among such States as almost all the rivers in the State are known for causing devastating floods during the rainy season. Had guidelines of the Central Water Commission been taken seriously and acted upon the delay in release of funds by the Union Water Resources Ministry for flood protection works along river Chenab could have been avoided, sources said.

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