KARGIL : Hundreds of people on both sides of the Phuktal river downstream were shifted to safer places after an artificial lake formed in the water body during winter, breached this morning, inundating a village besides causing damage to some bridges and a school building in this border district.
Though authorities have claimed that flood threat due to formation of the artificial lake has receded after a dewatering tunnel was constructed in the lake, local MLA of Zanskar constituency Aga Syed Mohammad Baqir Rizvi had last month expressed his deep concern over the continued flood threat looming on the residents of Zanskar, due to the Phutkal glacial lake formation. Official sources said an artificial lake was formed in the river due to landslide, blocking the water flow in the river during winter.
Later, NDRF and other teams were rushed to the area to take some measures which could help flow of water from the artificial lake. The NDRF and Army later claimed that the threat is over as big hole has been made in the frozen lake. But due to increase in the mercury, snow on the upper reaches and frozen water in the Lake started melting resulting in a sudden increase in the water level, they said, adding the outflow from the lake was very low this morning.
Water had entered a nearby Ichar village and water was flowing downstream, they said, adding this will pose a serious threat to villages on both sides of the river. Sensing trouble, authorities have shifted some of the families living on both sides of the downstream to safer places. However, water could take time to reach Padam, the sub district headquarter of Zanaskar in Kargil district.
Mr Rizvi had last month warned of flood due to bursting of the artificial lake. He said the people of the area are concerned, as melting of snow has started, because of rise in temperatures. The temporary measures taken by the NDRF team so far, does not seem to have been very effective, as the discharge of the glacial lake has increased in the past few days, at an alarming rate, he said.
He expressed concern that the impending disaster has the potential to cause extensive damage in the area, which may be beyond the coping capacity of the State as well as District Administration, despite their best efforts. He urged Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed to urgently take up the issue once again with the Union Government, so that with the help of satellite images the situation is reassessed and experts are sent again to the location to ease out the situation.
He demanded that appropriate machinery is airlifted and deployed at the site and all possible measures are taken to ensure safety of each and every resident of the area, before the glacial lake causes any damage. The MLA had also urged the administration to reassure the locals and ensure that basic needs of the people, who have shifted to safer locations, are taken care of. (AGENCIES)
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