Published On:Thursday, 16 October 2014
Srinagar master plan to be vetted by I&FC
More delay likely
SRINAGAR: The State government has decided to revise its Master Plan in view of the recent floods, which will be vetted by the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department.
“We have given the presentation of the draft of the new Master Plan to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The Master Plan needs the cabinet consent and then it will be vetted by the I&FC as they are the experts not we,” Minister for Housing and Urban Development Nawang Rigzin Jora told The Kashmir Monitor.
He said the I&FC will suggest the measures whereby the floods damage could be prevented in the future.
He said they will put it in the public domain for suggestions before finalising it. “Retired engineers, intellectuals, journalists can give their suggestion,” Jora said.
The government has decided to revise its Master Plan in backdrop of the devastating floods that left around three people dead and rendered thousands of people homeless.
The minister said they are guided by the Master Plan and any new construction will be approved as per the Plan that will be vetted by the I&FC department.
When asked how his department had allowed the constructions on the flood channels and on the banks of rivers, which was also responsible for the recent floods in Kashmir, he replied, “Whatever has happened in the past, I cannot be held responsible for that. During my tenure as the minister of the department, if any illegal construction had taken place, we removed it.”
Replying to a question that Srinagar Development Department (SDA) in Bemina has constructed its building that has blocked the flood channel, he said, “It was constructed long back when I was not the minister for Urban Development Department.”
Earlier, Health and Medical Education Department Taj Mohiuddin had said that Bone and Joint Hospital got submerged as the SDA building has blocked the flood channel.
He said the government was rehabilitating the people living on the banks of Jehlum near Chunt Kul to the Rakhi-Arth. “The case is sub-judice what to do with the construction on the banks of rivers and on flood channels.”
He said the department will look into whether any illegal construction was taking place in Lalchowk after the floods. “The shopkeepers in Lalchowk are repairing their shops that had steel shutters there before.”
The minister said the I&FC department has to take the preventive measures for the future. Jora said all the dewatering pumps of the department got submerged in the recent floods.
He said the volume of floods was so high that they were not prepared for it. “Now we will keep them (dewatering pumps) on raised platforms above 18-20 feet so that they will not get submerged if such floods hit again.”
Jora said the department has done a lot of work over the years and improved the drainage system.
