Div Com reviews preparedness of I&FC

SRINAGAR: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Pandurang K Pole, here today held a meeting to review the flood preparedness of Irrigation and Flood Control department (I&FC) in Kashmir.
During the meeting it was revealed that Irrigation and Flood Control department (I&FC) had installed nine Automatic Water Level Recorders (WLRs) on River Jhelum at Sangam, Pampore, Ram Munshi Bagh & Asham and at its major tributaries including Sind, Lidder, Doodganga, Vaishaw & Rambiar.
“The German based technology Automatic Water Level Recorders are fitted with SIM cards, which will records water level data of river Jhelum on hourly basis and send it to the control room of Irrigation and Flood Control department. For better planning and preparedness to tackle flood like situation, department is further expanding network of Automatic WLRs across the valley to obtain instant data. The data as of now is being disseminated to various sections of media for real time information.”
The meeting was further informed that 12.6 lacs sand and 80,000 Geo bags have been kept at different locations of river Jhelum and other water bodies.
The Divisional Commissioner directed the concerned for instant mapping of all automatic Rain Guages which have been erected at IMD, Agriculture, SKAUST and Kashmir University. Besides, preparation of inundation maps at different water levels of river Jhelum at different locations. He directed the concerned to submit the information to the Div Com office at earliest.
He further directed Executive Engineers (Exens) of I&FC to contact their respective Deputy Commissioners for selecting the abandoned government buildings which will be used as stores at time of any eventuality. They have also been asked to prepare a list of machines procured by Mechanical Engineering wing which can be used during floods.
The I&FC authorities department have been directed to update and list all its available tools and plants and upload it on IDRM network besides prepare a list of Boats available with Tourism, LAWDA, SMC, CRPF, BSF, Police, Disaster Management and private Shikara owners along with their locations. He also directed the concerned to up-date the Disaster Management plans and rectify the deficiencies, if any.
The Div Com said that bulk SMS services should be availed for dissemination of warnings to the People on real time basis, at the time of exigency.
Pole exhorted to take the status of various works taken up by the ERA under Jhelum Tawi Foold Recovery Project including consultancy studies on flood management and hazard risk assessment.
Additional Commissioner Kashmir, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Chief Engineer I&FC, M M Shahnawaz, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers and other concerned officers were present in the meeting.