Div Com Kashmir takes holistic review
of SOPs for Kandizal breach during flood exigency
SRINAGAR, MAY 07:
The Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri today
convened a meeting to take holistic review of flood mitigation plan and SOP for
management of breach at Kandizal segment of river Jhelum to save city from
massive deluge in future.
The meeting was
attended by CEO, SSCL; Deputy
Commissioners of Srinagar, Budgam and Pulwama; Directors of School Education
department and RDD; Chief Engineers of I&FC, KPDCL, PHE, UEED and MED; MD
SRTC, Director Indian Meteorological Department; Nodal Officer SEOC, Kashmir;
besides Core Commander BB Cant; SSPs, Officers of NDRF, SDRF, Civil Defense,
Fire & Emergency etc.
Addressing the
meeting, Div Com directed for establishment of a sophisticated decision making
support system to ensure flow of information through proper communication
system to stakeholders at the time of flood exigency.
While underscoring
the importance of Kandizal breach to save inundation of urban areas, Div Com
stressed on framing SOPs to take the final call when required.
He added that the
breach should be the ultimate attempt and the last resort to avert danger to
the urban areas of the Srinagar City, wherein the decision should be taken in
context to the ground situations.
He said the
objective of the breach is to save the more vital infrastructure and areas by
inundation of less vital ones.
To tackle the flood
situation, he emphasized on building a mechanism for making men and material
available to saturate the requirement when need arises.
He also directed
for the establishment of an emergency helpline to respond to the crisis during
floods.
Besides, he asked
for updation of resources on India Disaster Resource Network (IDRN),
identification of relief centers and usage of satellite phones.
Earlier, CE,
I&FC gave a detailed presentation on Kandizal breach, impact of breach,
parameters to monitor river guage, previous data and changes in flood plains
over years.
CE stated that the
location where the river generally breaches is located near village Kandizal in
District Pulwama.
The meeting was
informed that the area of Kandizal over the past few decades has seen
significant changes in the land use and land cover by way of huge urbanization
and significant reduction in the once vast and open lands.
The expansion of
road networks, particularly the Srinagar Jammu Expressway and the Railway Line
and the huge infrastructure which has come up along the Expressway have also
significantly contributed to the land change pattern.