JAMMU: Minister for Jal Shakti Javed Ahmad Rana today informed the House that due to persistently low temperatures during winter, the gauge readings at the Sangam monitoring station in the Jhelum River basin remained around one foot for most of the season.
The Minister stated this while replying to a Calling Attention motion moved by MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly during the ongoing Budget Session.
He said that snowmelt in the Jhelum River generally becomes noticeable during March and April as temperatures begin to rise. Following the recent spell of rainfall, the gauge level at the Sangam monitoring station has been recorded at around seven feet. He added that the contribution of snowmelt in river runoff typically continues till the end of May, provided there are no intermediate weather disturbances. With the arrival of the monsoon in late June or early July, runoff levels in water bodies increase again.
The Minister further informed that the Directorate of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing (DEERS) has prepared a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) report, which provides a preliminary vulnerability assessment of downstream habitations and bridges using basic GIS analysis. The draft report is presently under consultation.
He said that although the Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) Department, Kashmir does not have a direct mandate to assess GLOF risks, the Morphology and Climate Directorate of the Central Water Commission (CWC) is monitoring the glacial lakes and water bodies across the Himalayan and Tibetan regions that drain into India and regularly uploads monitoring reports on its website.
Highlighting the flood monitoring mechanism, the Minister said that in the Jhelum basin, the I&FC Department has installed 22 Automatic Water Level Recorder (AWLR) sensors and 8 rain gauges at key nodal points across the valley to record hourly water level round the clock. The data helps generate flood forecasts and advance warnings, enabling the administration to take timely preventive measures during flood situations.
He added that the Kashmir Flood Watch app, developed by I&FC Kashmir and available across all digital platforms, also helps alert the residents about changing flood conditions and potential risks.
The Minister further said that to strengthen the climate resilience and water security, several initiatives have been undertaken. These included the promotion of modern irrigation techniques such as micro-irrigation, development of artificial water storage structures and rejuvenation of natural water bodies like lakes and ponds. These efforts are being supported under various schemes including Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority and the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain initiative.
The Minister also informed that DEERS is currently revising the State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC), which is at an advanced draft stage. The revised plan is based on updated temperature and precipitation projections along with sector-wise and district-level vulnerability assessments to enable science-based and location-specific climate interventions.
He said the revised SAPCC proposes 58 mitigation strategies and 98 adaptation measures across priority sectors. Adaptation efforts focus on slope stabilisation, watershed management, forest landscape restoration, ecosystem-based adaptation and climate-resilient infrastructure, while mitigation strategies aim at reducing greenhouse gas emissions through expansion of clean energy, improved power efficiency, enhanced energy efficiency in buildings, accelerated electric mobility and improved scientific solid waste management.
The Minister further informed that a State Specific Action Plan (SSAP) for the water sector is also being prepared by the I&FC Department in consultation with the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu under the guidance of the National Water Mission, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. The plan aims to ensure sustainable and equitable water resource management while addressing the regional challenges.
He added that the Status Report on water availability and demand across districts has already been prepared, deriving the water budget for each district and Jammu and Kashmir. An interim report assessing the impact of climate change on water budgets for the years 2032, 2042 and 2052, using the CMIP-6 climate model, is currently under preparation and will form the basis for the final action plan.