Mubashir Alam Wani
Srinagar, Mar 15 : The much-needed Rs 5,411.54 crore Comprehensive Flood Management Plan for Kashmir remains partially approved, with a significant portion still awaiting funding. This has raised concerns over the region’s preparedness against future floods.
Responding to a question tabled by Farooq Ahmad Shah, MLA Gulmarg, in the Assembly, the government, as per the news agency, said that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was submitted to the Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) in January 2019.
However, only Part-A, worth Rs 1,684.6 crore, has received in-principle approval so far, while the remaining portion (Part-B) has yet to secure funding, he informed.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) in their observations recommended to prioritise the works and coming up with Part A & B of the project separately in view of the available funds, the government stated in its reply.
“Following this, the State Administrative Council (SAC) granted approval to proceed with Part-A in June 2019, while directing the department to explore financing options for Part-B. In July 2022, the government formally approved Part-A at a revised cost of Rs 1,623.43 crore,” it added.
The government said that with Phase I of the Jhelum Flood Management Project nearing completion and having increased the river’s carrying capacity from 31,800 to 41,000 cusecs, Phase II was expected to mitigate flood risks up to 60,000 cusecs.
However, delays in full project approval could hinder long-term flood protection measures, leaving low-lying areas vulnerable to extreme weather events.
Experts have long warned that Kashmir’s flood vulnerability remains high, as witnessed during the devastating 2014 floods, which caused widespread destruction.
However, some bank protection works and wetland conservation efforts have been undertaken, and critical projects like expanding the Flood Spill Channel (FSC) and Outfall Channel (OFC) are yet to begin, mainly due to differences in technical reports from expert agencies.
With the CWC’s final report received in December 2024 now under examination, it remains to be seen how soon the pending approvals and funding will be secured.
The 2014 floods caused damages worth thousands of crores, and experts have repeatedly warned that a similar disaster could strike if flood management projects are not expedited.
