SRINAGAR: Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, on Wednesday, chaired a meeting of the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department to review the notification status for delineation and demarcation of flood plain/flood basins identified post 2014 floods in Jhelum basin to regulate land use and human activity for obviating flood threats and minimise flood damages.
The meeting was attended by the Assistant Commissioner Central, Chief Engineer I&FC, Deputy Director Planning, Executive Engineers of I&FC, and other concerned officers.
At the outset, I&FC officials gave a detailed presentation on Flood Plain Zoning and the notification of flood basins. The presentation covered the impact of the 2014 floods, inundation statistics of agricultural, built-up and wasteland areas, loss of floodplain storage due to urbanisation and encroachment, integrated flood management strategies including structural and non-structural measures, and regulation of activities in flood-prone areas.
Addressing the meeting, the Divisional Commissioner directed I&FC officials to reconcile flood basin expanse areas of six wetlands with the Forest & Wildlife Departments. These flood basins play a critical role in flood moderation and the storage of excess flood waters.
He also directed for circulation of land use classification details, including those of private players, for calling objections from the public at large.
The Div Com stressed on the need to have scientific demarcation on the basis of Hydrological modelling, to be done on the left side of the River Jhelum from Sangam to Padshahi Bagh, which would further pave the way for the administration to finalise the related extract revenue records reflecting land use. He further directed the modelling of a once-in-twenty-five-years flood area for the regulatory zone, freezing the boundary of the regulatory zone to put the process on a fast track.
Assistant Commissioner Central was asked to ensure the availability of revenue records of Anchar and Wullar lakes to the I&FC Department.