KINS Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 30 (KINS): The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Thursday informed the Legislative Assembly that it has established a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for managing flood situations along the River Jhelum, particularly at the Kandizal Breach Point in Pulwama.
The government also confirmed that no proposal for an alternative flood channel is currently under consideration.
The information was shared in a detailed reply to a question raised by MLA Ali Mohammad Dar, regarding the establishment of a breach point and related mitigation measures.
Minister in-charge Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR)as per news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) informed that, the Effective Flood Mitigation Committee was constituted under Government Order No. 36-DMRRR of 2017, dated June 1, 2017, under the chairmanship of the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.
The committee is tasked with formulating and executing measures to manage floods and minimize damage across the Valley.
The department stated that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for an “induced breach” at Kandizal, Pulwama, was formally notified on June 10, 2024, by the Chairman, Central Flood Committee (Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir).
The SOP clearly outlines that any deliberate breach of the Jhelum embankment at Kandizal will be executed only after careful assessment of water discharge and gauge readings at Sangam and Pampore, and consultation between the Central and Divisional Flood Committees.
Once a decision is made, the Superintending Engineer, Hydraulic Circle (I&FC Department) will deploy excavators to create the controlled breach, allowing excess floodwaters to be diverted into designated low-lying plains to prevent inundation of densely populated areas downstream, including Srinagar.
To ensure safety and coordination, the Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, will provide police and magistracy support, while the Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar, Pulwama, and Budgam will simultaneously oversee rescue, relief, and public information measures.
Responding to a query about rehabilitation and resettlement policies for families living near the breach point, the government clarified that the 2017 Government Order also provides for the constitution of a Rehabilitation Committee to coordinate such efforts.
Multiple committees have been formed at the divisional, district, and zonal levels to plan and manage flood response. During emergencies, all resources from key departments—including SMC, R&B, MED, SDRF, Police, and Civil Defence—are mobilized under the command of the Divisional Commissioner to minimize loss of life and property.
A Central Flood Control Room is to operate round the clock in Srinagar, equipped with communication facilities and staffed as per a notified duty roster. Vulnerable areas are to be mapped and divided into zones, each overseen by a Zonal Magistrate responsible for implementing safety measures and organizing evacuations and relief operations if needed.
On the crucial question of whether the government plans to construct an alternate flood channel from Kandizal onwards as a long-term flood mitigation measure, the department stated unambiguously that “no such proposal is under consideration at present.”(KINS)
