2nd phase of Jhelum flood mitigation plan approved

Mudasir Yaqoob
State Level Technical Advisory Committee has accorded sanction to Flood Management Project for Comprehensive Flood Management Programme of river Jhelum and its tributaries Phase –II.
Officials said the committee has forwarded its recommendation to Central Water Commissioner for final techno-economic sanction.
“The committee met under the chairmanship of Commissioner/Secretary to Government PHE /I&FC Department. The Phase –II project for Comprehensive Flood Management of River Jhelum for Kashmir Valley, framed by M/S WAPCOS as per the recommendation of Central Water Commission, is proposed to be taken up in continuation to the phase – I already under execution,” an official said.
He said that this DPR was framed on the basis of hydraulic model studies, conducted by the Central Water Power Research Station Pune and is presently under appraisal by CWC, New Delhi.
He said Chief Engineer, Kashmir Irrigation and Flood Control Department gave a power point presentation to the committee about the salient features and projected benefits of the Phase II DPR. “Phase – II DPR and its components were deliberated in detail by the Committee including its flood mitigation potential, financial and environmental aspects. The members present in the meeting were of the view that the Phase – II shall go a long way in mitigating the medium term flood threat to the Valley,” he said.
The official said the Commissioner Secretary to Govt. PHE/I&FC Department directed the Chief Engineer, Irrigation & F.C. Department, Srinagar to follow up with CWC for its early sanction and funding. “The DPR was unanimously approved by State Level Technical Advisory Committee,” he said. (Greater Kashmir)