The morning of 7th September 2014 was unlike any other mornings that Kashmir would have witnessed since centuries. The communication lines were down, the power was shut down and the water from river Jhelum was flowing inside the houses in various parts of the city including Sonwar, Raj Bagh, Shivpora, Lasjan, Padshai Bagh, Natipora, Lal Chowk, Jawahar Nagar, and Wazir Bagh.
The situation in rural areas was no different than the city. Some 2600 villages had to face the wrath of flood in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 390 were completely submerged under water. At various places the water level was recorded about 12 feet submerging the entire houses in Srinagar.
Thousands of people had to abandon their houses for safer havens. This exodus left so many families homeless who sooner took shelter in marriage halls and religious places. The street kitchens were organised and food was delivered to every displaced individual. For about a whole month, people used to visit bridges in the city on a routine basis in order to observe the receding water level.
This devastating flood left almost 300 people dead and property worth crores was also destroyed. The state disaster management and military carried out extensive rescue operations through which the lives of thousands of people were saved. No sooner after the raging waters receded, the State Government along with the requisite aid from the centre announced pre-emptive measures in order to avoid such catastrophe in the impending future.
The project named ‘Comprehensive Flood Management Programme’ was announced in 2016 in order to increase the water holding capacity of river Jhelum. The total worth of the project was 399 crores that was awarded to a Kolkata based company which completed the assigned work in 2018.
However, such a step was full of mediocrity that shunned other possible factors that were responsible for the floods. Rapid urbanisation, Constructions in flood channels along with designated City forests, sewage dumping and filling-encroachments are some of the prime reasons responsible for triggering floods.
Regrettably, such factors were never taken into consideration and even until now archaic ways are incorporated to avoid a looming threat which can at any point of time once again take the shape of a devastating flood. With assurance it is to be said that very little has been done so far while the administration is acting impervious to this matter of utmost concern.
