Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 22: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal has directed the Commissioner/Secretary to Government PHE, I&FC Department and Chief Engineer I&FC to file a status report explaining circumstances for differential volumes of water being discharged in the Nikki Tawi, Baddi Tawi area.
The Division Bench further allowed time to Senior AAG H A Siddiqui and Deputy AG Vishal Bharti appearing for the State Government to file a status report with regard to the steps taken for managing the waters in the Nikki Tawi and Baddi Tawi.
This direction was passed in a Public Interest Litigation filed by inhabitants of villages Barjala and Khandwal through Gurdev Singh (Chairman Panchayat Adalat Committee Khandwal) and Ghulam Nabi Sheikh, retired Executive Engineer highlighting the devastation caused by flash floods in the years 2014-15 and 2015-16 in Nikki Tawi area.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the petitioners, Division Bench further directed the Irrigation and Flood Control Department that it shall examine the possibility of undertaking development on the banks of the river.
Earlier, Advocate Ahmed vehemently argued that every year flash floods create havoc in Nikki Tawi area with the result 45 villages are submerged under water and get disconnected from Jammu. “The sole cause of the floods is the irrational distribution of water during rainy season as 90% of the water is discharged from main bridge to the Nikki Tawi whereas 10% of the water is discharged in Baddi Tawi”, he added.
“In case the rain water is distributed rationally then flash floods can be averted in both Nikki Tawi and Baddi Tawi areas”, he further said.
After considering the submissions of Advocate S S Ahmed, DB issued directions to the Commissioner/ Secretary PHE, I&FC and others to explain circumstances, differential volumes of waters being discharged in the Nikki Tawi and Baddi Tawi.
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