DB reprimands authorities as only status reports submitted, nothing on ground

Flood mitigation, river management measures for Tawi
Seeks details of WB funds utilization, expenses on consultancy
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 30: Division Bench of the High Court comprising Justice Rajesh Bindal (Acting Chief Justice) and Justice Sanjay Dhar has reprimanded the Government for its failure to initiate any step on ground towards flood mitigation and river management measures for Tawi despite the fact that every year inhabitants of several villages situated along the river suffer extensive damages during the monsoon season.
Moreover, the Division Bench has sought details vis-a-vis utilization of World Bank funds and amount paid to the company engaged for conducting morphology study of River Tawi and preparation of Detailed Project Report.
These oral observations were made in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by inhabitants of Barjala, Khandwal and adjoining villages, who suffer immensely due to floods every year because of absolute non-serious approach of the Government towards initiating flood mitigation measures.
Ever since the filing of PIL in the year 2018, the Government agencies have submitted several status reports mentioning the steps being taken to provide respite to the people from the floods. However, the concern has remained confined to the papers only and on ground nothing is visible.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the petitioners submitted that the Irrigation and Flood Control Department was only interested in laying of crates every year along the banks of River Tawi near these villages as this exercise helps the engineers in amassing of huge money, which would not be the case in case of permanent flood mitigation measures.
He drew the attention of Division Bench towards the status report dated March 13, 2020 whereby the Principal Secretary, Planning Development and Monitoring Department had informed the court that the World Bank funded project report for flood mitigation and comprehensive river management measures for Tawi basin is underway and the same was expected to be completed by June 2020.
Moreover, the Principal Secretary had submitted that based on the consultancy report, steps for mitigation of the floods will be evolved and undertaken by the concerned department.
“We have been told that nothing is visible on the ground in the form of flood mitigation measures”, the DB orally said in the open court and asked the Additional Advocate General Aseem Sawhney to inform the court about the funds earmarked by the World Bank and the utilization of the same. The AAG was further asked to reveal the money paid to the company for conducting morphology study of River Tawi and preparation of Detailed Project Report.
As there was no specific reply from the Additional Advocate General, the DB, in the open court, expressed serious concern over lackadaisical approach of the Government towards flood mitigation and river management measures for Tawi. For want of information from the Government, the DB directed the Registry to list the PIL after vacations.
In the status report filed in the month of February this year, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department had submitted that Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) had engaged a consultancy company for the complete study of River Tawi and the same company was asked to submit a Detailed Project Report by June 20, 2020 as per the time mentioned in the allotment order.
“Upon receiving the report the same shall be finalized and submitted to the Central Water Commission for approval and funding”, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department had further mentioned in the status report.
Thereafter, in the status report submitted in the month of March this year, it was submitted by the then Principal Secretary to Government, Planning and Development Department Rohit Kansal that role of JTFRP was only confined to conducting morphological studies including preparation of DPRs for comprehensive flood management of Jhelum and Tawi basins.
“The data and reports will be provided to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, which will take further steps for implementation of the proposals including execution of works”, he had further submitted.
It is pertinent to mention here that Monitoring & Appraisal Directorate of Central Water Commission Jammu helps in appraisal and monitoring of flood management projects for release of Central assistance.
As per extant guidelines, Flood Management Projects costing up to Rs 25 crore are appraised by the Directorate and those costing more than Rs 25 crore are examined preliminarily and submitted to SWC (Hqrs) for appraisal. A DPR for “Bank Protection of Tawi River in Jammu City (Part-I) and Catch Water Drain for Tawi Ravi in Jammu City (Part-II) (located around 5 km upstream of village Barjala and Khandwala) with estimated cost of Rs 375.732 crore plus Rs 31.962 crore was submitted by Jammu Development Authority (JDA) for appraisal vide letter dated 11.04.2018.
As per the guidelines, the DPR was examination preliminarily and it was observed in the initial examination that besides other deficiencies, basic information such as longitudinal section and layout plan was also not provided in the DPR. Therefore, it was not sent to CWC (Hqrs) for appraisal but project authorities were informed of these observations vide letter dated 30.05.2018.
Due to non compliance of these observations issued on 30.05.2018 within a period of 3 months, as per extant guidelines, the project was deleted from the list of appraisal.
Had there been enough seriousness on the part of all the concerned Government agencies grave issue highlighted in the Public Interest Litigation would have been addressed during the past two years.