Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 29: In a writ petition filed by inhabitants of Barjala and Khandwal villages of Nikki Tawi area, High Court today directed the Commissioner Secretary Irrigation and Flood Control Department and Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Jammu to file an affidavit on or before September 8 mentioning therein as to whether the works cited in the communication dated May 22, 2017 have been put to execution and whether there are adequate funds for executing the restoration works.
When this writ petition filed by flood affected inhabitants came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Irfaan Mohd Khan and Supriya Chouhan appearing for the petitioners submitted that massive devastation was caused by the flash floods in the last 2 to 3 years during monsoon season in the Nikki Tawi area comprising of more than 46 villages resulting in the loss to the properties of the inhabitants and washing away of major portion of the agricultural land.
He further submitted that the Irrigation and Flood Control Department authorities have been releasing and diverting maximum water in the Nikki Tawi solely for the reason that influential people have huge chunks of land along the Badi Tawi area. “Every year the flash floods destroy the crates as well as the agricultural land in view of maximum water released in the Nikki Tawi”, he further said.
He prayed for issuance of directions for placement before the court the information of the last five years with regard to the release of water in both the Tawis. At this stage, Deputy Advocate General R S Jamwal appearing for Irrigation and Flood Control Department submitted that he has received a communication dated May 22, 2017 wherein works allotted for restoration works in the Nikki Tawi area have been mentioned.
He further stated that he was not in a position to make a statement whether there were adequate funds for execution of such works and accordingly sought time to verify the same from the concerned department.
On this, Advocate Ahmed submitted that funds have been requisitioned by the Chief Engineer, I&FC from the Administrative Department but till date the same have not been made available.
After hearing both the sides, Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur directed that let an appropriate affidavit be filed by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department on or before September 8, 2017 mentioning therein as to whether the works cited in the communication dated May 22, 2017 have been put to execution and whether there are adequate funds for execution of the same.
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