Monsoon rains

Belated monsoon rains have visited Jammu region with all the fury they carry. Incessant downpour during last two days has turned three big rivers Tawi, Basantar and Ujh into mini roaring oceans spilling over their banks and flooding the lands lying on flanks. Flood alert has been sounded in several districts in Jammu while the 300 kilometre long National Highway connecting Jammu with Srinagar remained closed on Saturday. It was fully restored for normal vehicular traffic on Sunday morning after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) cleared the landslides from all the places. In other parts of Jammu region 25 persons trapped in flood affected areas have been rescued and about 100 families have been shifted to safer places. Reports said traffic on the Bani-Basohli main road in the district also remained suspended for two hours because of landslides. Road connectivity between Billawar-Machadi, Billawar-Katli, Basohli-Dhar Mahanpur and Basohli-Hutt Mashka also remained affected for the fourth consecutive day due to fresh landslides, cutting off dozens of villages from the district headquarters. The Jammu administration had shifted 35 families to safer places from the Belicharana area following a rise in the water level of the Tawi. The Chenab was flowing close to the danger mark after the release of water from the Salal hydroelectric project. The  breach in the embankments of three rivers had also happened and efforts were on to plug them.
Flooding of rivers and nullahs during the monsoon rains is a regular feature of the tropical region. These rivers look like dried and parched streams during hot summer but with the onset of rains they suddenly turn into a roaring ocean. The floods cause great damage to the crops, habitats and also wash away human beings and cattle if they come in their way by ill luck. This is a regular monsoon rain feature of Jammu region. This region is prone to flood devastation just because it straddles across the foothills of the Shivalak, Trikuta and Pir Panchal ranges of the Himalayan Mountains. Human ingenuity is no match to the fury of nature and the behaviour of nature is always unpredictable. But the fact is that incessant rains during the rainy season and consequent flash floods are expected things. The Government has Flood Control Department which is equipped with the wherewithal to minimize the impact of floods. Among the possibilities is forewarning the people inhabiting flood prone areas to vacate in anticipation of flash floods and the spate in the rivers. The department is equipped with such paraphernalia as would be required to save the people trapped in floods. Timely rescue operations can save the lives as has been the case during the rains in past two days. Medical assistance and supply of pure drinking water to the flood affected people are also among the priorities of these departments. There has to be no complacency in keeping the Flood Control Department in a state of readiness especially when the monsoons are on. It is a relief to know that the Government is geared to the requirements of any grave situation which may arise as long as rainy season continues.
Rainy season is on and we cannot rule out the possibility of more rains coming in and more devastation taking place. Therefore the Government should draw a relief programme without waiting for more rains to come. Relief programme should focus on providing food and water to the affected persons, temporary shelter and medical assistance. Those whose houses have been washed away by this kind of natural calamity are entitled to all sort of assistance for reconstructing their houses. In particular the Government would do well to ensure that the children of affected families are not forced to discontinue the schooling owing to floods and lost of homes. Perhaps it could be possible for the Government grant scholarships and some incentives to them to overcome the difficult situation.

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