Kashmir to get new flood channel

World Bank to frame DPR for Rs 20,000 Cr project

NL Correspondent

SRINAGAR: Two years after the central government gave its nod for construction of alternate flood channel to Jhelum in Kashmir, the state government has failed to frame a detailed project report (DPR) for the mega project.

Now the World Bank has taken over framing of DPR for new flood channel.

In backdrop of the 2014 September floods, the Union Ministry of Water Resources in December 2014 asked the state government for framing of the DPR for the 80-km Dogripora channel to be constructed from Awantipora in Pulwama district to Wular lake in Bandipora district.

But during the last two years, the DPR could not be framed for this mega project for unknown reasons. The project as per state government preliminary estimates is expected to cost Rs 20,000 crore.

“The World Bank has now taken over framing of the DPR for this project,” an official Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department said.

The I&FC department had earlier invited tenders from foreign experts for framing of the DPR for the mega project which according to him could not be “materialized”.  “We have framed a project but the World Bank may modify it based on the analyses of foreign experts it will frame its DPR. The World Bank will finalize its cost after incorporates all the aspects,” he added.

Under this mega project, an official said new flood channel would carry surplus flood discharge of Jehlum. “It will be a complete road map for prevention of floods in the valley,” the official said.

The discharge capacity of river Jehlum is around 30000 cuscus but flowed during September 2014 water flowed around 1 lakh 30 thousand cuscus.

A study titled ‘A satellite-based rapid assessment on floods in Jammu & Kashmir–September, 2014' conducted jointly by the Department of Environment & Remote Sensing (DERS) and ISRO had warned that intensity of rainfall and frequency of rainy days in the Himalayan region may increase in 2030s, leading to another flood in Kashmir if immediate steps are not taken to restore the drainage system of Jhelum. The study also recommended an alternate flood spill channel for Jhelum should be constructed.

It had been seen that water level of rivers increases even by average downpour due to less carrying capacity of water bodies in the region. The Wular lake which is the largest flood absorption basin has lost the water carrying capacity due to host of factors.  Several survey have found that gross human interference, deforestation, encroachments, chocking of water ways and reduction in capacity of wet lands due to heavy siltation posing an imminent threat of floods even by average downpour.

The Indus Water Treaty signed between India-Pakistan has also placed curbs on the construction of storage reservoirs on rivers in J&K which could ensure the provision of requisite water flow.