PDP MLA demands panel to look into Jhelum works

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 17

The PDP-BJP coalition government had to cut a sorry figure today in the Legislative Assembly when PDP lawmaker Muhammad Ashraf Mir demanded constitution of a House committee to look into the dredging of the Jhelum.

Mir, who is the PDP member from the Sonwar Assembly constituency of Srinagar and had defeated former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during the 2014 elections, wanted the government to come clear on the steps taken for desilting and dredging of the Jhelum.

Minister for Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Choudhary replied that the dredging work was started in Sopore and Baramulla in 2012. He said that after the 2014 floods, the dredging work was awarded to Reach Dredging Limited and it had dredged 5.06 lakh cubic metres in Baramulla and 5.084 lakh cubic metres in Srinagar.

Mir was, however, not satisfied with his reply and said the Jhelum embankments were in a poor condition and desilting had not been done to safeguard Srinagar city from another 2014-like flood situation.

The summer capital was submerged in the floods in September 2014 and proved to be the final nail in the coffin of Omar Abdullah-led National Conference-Congress government.

The PDP exploited the issue of floods and came to power, assuring the people that it will bring millions of rupees to safeguard Srinagar from another such disaster.

Mir urged the Speaker to constitute a House committee to look into the matter and fix responsibility but his demand was negated. National Conference MLAs and CPM MLA MY Tarigami also came to his support but to no avail.