JAMMU: The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), headed by the Union Cabinet Secretary, Ajit Seth today reviewed the progress made by the expert team in creating a passage for the flow of water at the Phuktal river blockade site.
The expert team, it was told, has been able to dig a channel using explosives in a controlled blasting operation over 3 day period from March 13th to 16th. The flow of water through the channel which is 100 m long, 2 m wide and 2 m deep has started and it is expected that the breach will gradually deepen and widen on its own as the days progress.
Chief Secretary, Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary Planning and Development, B R Sharma, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir/ Jammu, Secretary Revenue, Secretary PHE & I&FC and Deputy Commissioner Kargil participated in the meeting via video conferencing.
It was informed that an Automatic Water Level Sensor has been installed at Pukhtal Gompa from which flow (water level) data is being relayed after every 15 minutes. Water level has seen steady increase and for the next 72 hours daily aerial video surveillance on the flow of water will be carried out. Two Camerapersons from the State Information Department have also been embedded with the team for facilitating video streaming of the operation.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary asked Deputy Commissioner Kargil, to ensure that the shifted civilian population comprising 257 persons is provided all the essential stuff including Ration, Kerosene, Water, firewood and other items at their present location. “There safety should be ensured at all costs and it must be ensured that nobody goes close to the river banks. They should be provided all essential stuff”, Chief Secretary stressed.
Khandey said there is an apprehension that with gradual increase in temperature, the danger of sudden flow of large volume of water will also rise, as such people need to be kept at safer places and water levels monitored round the clock.
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