Fayaz Bukhari /
Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Apr 2: While the water level is again rising in Srinagar, the Government today claimed that all the rivers were flowing below danger mark in Kashmir.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was again closed due fresh land slides in Ramsoo and Ramban areas this evening, about 45 families from Poonch, Kishtwar and Reasi have been shifted to the safer locations due to land slides. About 1000 vehicles to Srinagar were also cleared before the blockade of the highway.
The Government today said there are no floods in Kashmir and all the rivers are flowing below the danger mark and it was more of a panic caused due to last year’s floods.
Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar told reporters here that the worst phase of inclement weather is over and there was problem of water-logging in some areas. “There is no flood. There was some panic among the people because of the last year’s situation. But right now all the rivers are running much below the danger-level and there is normal activity across the State. There may be some rains tonight but afterwards the weather forecast is quite normal. The worst phase has passed,” he said.
Akhtar said there was no panic and the administration was on alert as part of the routine governance. “There is no panic but the administration is on the alert as part of the routine governance. As a routine government, we are doing what we have to and people have seen that change in Srinagar and other districts.
“Unfortunately, there was an approach till now that till there was any disaster, no Minister or officer would come out of his home, but now the work is going on everywhere with much fervor. I feel it is the start of a new dawn,” the Minister said.
Akhtar said:“There is water-logging in some areas. This season is generally rainy here and these problems remain in the months of March and April… We are mechanically trying to dewater those areas where there is water-logging. But there is no danger. We are using pumps to dewater such areas.”
Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control, Javed Jaffar, told Excelsior that flood level of Jhelum in Srinagar has crossed alert mark of 16 feet. He said that the water level had receded after improvement in weather and in Srinagar it had come down from 19.70 feet to 14.40 feet. He, however, said that the water level in Sangam receded to 14.30 feet rising to 14.90 feet today.
The Weatherman has forecast more rains till Friday evening and said that weather will improve after that. Jaffar, said that more rains could lead to rise in water level of river Jhelum and its tributaries.
Later in the evening Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Gazanfar Hussain, told a press conference that there was no more panic caused due to the devastation caused by last year’s floods.
Divisional Commissioner said that situation is under control and divisional administration has taken appropriate measures to tackle with any eventuality and men and machinery have been kept on alert to meet any exigency and to avoid any loss to life and property.
Hussain said that all the PHE schemes are functioning normally except a few in Doodganga. He said that 41 relief camps were established where 75 families comprising 458 members have been provided shelter. He said that 64 boats have been distributed in Srinagar, 8 in Anantnag and 15 are on standby. He said that 8 NDRF teams have arrived in Kashmir and they are ready to deal with any eventuality.
Divisional Commissioner said that there are sufficient stocks of essentials in the Valley. He said all basic amenities including drinking water, electricity is being provided to the public without any disruption. He said that as many as 70 fire tenders have been deployed for dewatering the water logged areas. He said that all health centres are working normally for providing medicare for the needy. He further said that till date 369 villages have been affected due to water logging and the people of the areas have been shifted to the safer places.
Authorities in the meantime issued an avalanche warning for six districts of Kashmir in view of fresh rainfall over the past 24 hours. The avalanche warning was issued by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir for the next 24 hours in avalanche-prone areas of Kulgam, Pulwama, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts, an official spokesman said. Those living in these districts were advised not to venture in avalanche-prone areas during the next 24 hours, the spokesman said. People have been advised not to occupy and temporarily vacate avalanche prone areas during heavy snowfall.
At least 38 houses were damaged in a landslide in Baramulla district of north Kashmir today, prompting authorities to order relocation of the affected families to safer places. The houses were damaged in the landslide at village Frasthar but there was no report of any casualty, an official spokesman said today.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was again blocked this evening after rain started in the hilly areas of the region. The police and army shifted about 45 families to the safer locations after their houses came in the grip of landslides in Poonch, Reasi and Kishtwar today.
IG Traffic, J&K, J P Singh told the Excelsior that Jammu Srinagar National Highway was reopened during the day today and about 1000 Kashmir bound passengers vehicles stranded in Ramsoo, Ramban, Chanderkote and Batote areas were cleared. He said after this, the load carriers/ trucks stranded on that side of the Jawahar Tunnel were also allowed to move towards Jammu. While some vehicles crossed sliding areas, over 300 trucks and other vehicles got struck in Banihal and other areas as due to fresh land slides at Maggarkote and Gangroo, the highway was against closed.
The IGP said that heavy rain has again started in Ramban-Doda-Udhampur belt and highway has been closed. He said the Batote- Kishtwar road cloud not be cleared due to land slides at several places. Moreover, fresh vehicles / trucks were not allowed today from the Jammu or Udhampur side.
Meanwhile, in Jammu a large number of Doda, Bhaderwah and Kishtwar bound passengers have been struck and due to closure of road, they could not move towards their respective destinations. A large number of vehicles said to have been stranded at many places on Batote-Kishtwar road. Most of the link roads have been closed and the people are facing lot of hardships due to non-availability of ration, kerosene oil, LPG cylinders, vegetables etc in this belt.
Reports from Kishtwar said that due to landslides at Dool, about 18 families were shifted to safer locations by the district administration today. Additional SP, Kishtwar, Abdul Qayoom said that due to soil erosion and cracks developed on larger area of land, posing threat of major land slides, the Administration rushed to the spot and shifted over 160 members of 18 families to the safer locations. The houses of Ghulam Haider, Mohd Amin and Ghulam Hassan were partially damaged in the same area. The house of one Mohd Yousuf, resident of Patnazi in Kishtwar, also got damaged.
Another report from Poonch said that at Batalkote village in Loran area of tehsil Mandi, 15 families which came in the trap of fresh land-slides, were shifted to local Govt High School building and Panchayat Ghar today. The DC and SSP Poonch along with other officials also paid visit to the area and provided some immediate relief to the people.
Report from Reasi said that nine families from Mamankote village in Chasana and three families from Chhajru in Mahore were shifted to the safer locations by the army and police today. These people came in the grip of land slides and their houses were also damaged. The locals of the area alleged that there was severe shortage of ration, kerosene oil and other eatables. The power supply in many areas has been snapped and the people are suffering.
In Jammu, due to little improvement in the weather during the day, the people felt some respite from continuous rain. But in the evening, the rain again started and sky was over cast with the thick black clouds. The roads and lanes have suffered extensive damage in Jammu and other areas. The Met officials have predicted moderate to heavy rain/thunder-shower at many places in the region and snowfall at scattered places of hilly areas in next two days.
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