Work on to protect vulnerable spots along Jhelum, says Rana

Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmad Rana informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that crate protection works are being carried out under Flood Management Project Phase-II along the Jhelum to safeguard vulnerable spots.

Responding to a question from Peerzada Mohammad Syed, the minister stated that these protection measures are being implemented at specific weak spots along the river. He assured the House that the work, with an estimated cost of Rs 84 lakh, is on track for completion by March end.

Addressing concerns regarding the beautification of riverbanks from Mehandi Kadal to Donipawa, the minister clarified that the Irrigation and Flood Control Department does not have a separate budget allocated for beautification projects. He emphasised that the department’s primary mandate is to undertake anti-erosion measures to prevent bank damage, sloughing and breaches caused by floods.

While there is no provision for dedicated beautification efforts under the department’s jurisdiction, the focus remains on strengthening flood protection to ensure the safety and stability of Jhelum’s banks.

Says sufficient potable water supply in Srinagar

Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmad Rana informed the Assembly on Thursday that all areas in Srinagar are covered and residents are receiving scheduled potable water supply.

Responding to a question from Srinagar MLA Shamima Firdous, the minister reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring essential services, including timely repairs of defunct water supply schemes.

He assured the House that no water supply pipeline in Srinagar is currently defunct. “Whenever any distribution line gets damaged, it is promptly restored. Pipelines beyond repair are systematically replaced with new ones,” he stated.

The minister emphasised that the department is supplying adequate potable water according to the schedule set by existing water treatment plants and no area remains uncovered. MLA Mubarak Gul also raised supplementary questions on the matter.

Addressing another query from MLA Reyaz Ahmad Khan, the minister explained that PHE works in Shangus are managed by Bijbehara PHE Division, while irrigation-related tasks fall under Anantnag Irrigation Division and flood control efforts are handled by the Anantnag Flood Control Division.

He clarified that there is currently no need to create separate facilities for Shangus but assured the Assembly that the government remains committed to providing all basic facilities, including water supply, to people in far-flung areas.