Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 2: Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today expressed her unhappiness over the slow pace of dredging and de-silting in river Jhelum. She directed the concerned department to seek an explanation from the executing agency about the reasons for the delay in achieving the targets.
The Chief Minister made these observations while visiting several dredging and desilting spots along the river.
Mehbooba Mufti visited the entire river strip from Srinagar to Panzinara and Kreshibal and enquired from the concerned engineers about the status of the silt excavation and the reasons for the slow progress. She directed the concerned engineers to look into the reasons of the slow progress in achieving the dredging targets and fix the responsibility. She said owing to low discharge winters are the best season to undertake de-silting and dredging activities and best use of this time should have been made.
Enroute, Mehbooba Mufti stopped at several places and interacted with people who brought their day to day problem into the notice of the Chief Minister.
People sought intervention of the Chief Minister in redressal of their problems like road upgradation, ration availability, power supply etc. She issued on the spot directions for the redressal of the same.
At Noor Bagh, people complained of seepage and inundation of their houses and lanes due to low level of Jhelum banks.
Mehbooba Mufti directed for raising the level of banks of river Jhelum so that no water overflows into their premises and lanes.
Member, Legislative Assem-bly, Anjum Fazili; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan; Chief Engineer, Irrigation & Flood Control, Mohammad Haneef Lone and other senior officers accompanied the Chief Minister during the tour.