Details

Written by: Bilal Bashir Bhat (Environmentalist)

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 07 June 2017

Taking any decision without any planning and a ground map finally creates havoc in Kashmir. The footprints of the September 2014 devastating flood are still remembered by the people of Kashmir, and the recent rains deepened their unburied wounds. Thousand kanals of Agricultural and horticultural land turns into slit bed and barren as the rain water washed away the bunds in some areas of Kashmir. The recent flood of September 2014 when property worth of cores and hundreds of human lives are lost with the devastating floods. This flood shows the work and interest of the J&K govt. towards development. Government of Jammu and Kashmir from years talk on the dragging of River Jhelum and other rivers and streams of Kashmir, but they only talk and in reality they have no plan to do so and this leads to the devastating September 2014 flood in Jammu and Kashmir.

After a long sleep the Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir awaken and they take some steps to control the future floods in Kashmir. The irrigation and flood control department in its decision says cut down all the trees along the Bunds of the rivers, channels and the streams of Kashmir so that these bunds can be widened and this prevents us from future floods. Without any ground map or planning the authorities of the department stats deforestation drive and they force people to cut down all the trees along these bunds. But they forget that this is Kashmir and not any developed country where actions are taken immediately to prevent loss of human lives and property.

The recent rains again causes Havoc especially in some villages like Hamaray, Haigam, Sopore, Andergam, Pattan, and Baramulla of Kashmir as the water washed away the bunds of these streams and Nallahs flowing in these areas. The flood and irrigation control department is responsible for all this as they cut down all the trees alongside these bunds without any planning and ground map and they frightened people do this as immediately as they take serious actions against those who don’t cut down their trees.

After a year no widening or drugging was done by the Govt. and by the same department. The govt. don’t know the importance of trees along these bunds as the roots of the trees fix the soil firmly and helps to control the floods. But whom to say who listens, who cares, theses illiterate people cut down these trees and exposes the soil to rains  which weakens these bunds and final the water washed away these bunds leaving the agricultural lands into slit beds and barren.

 The villages Like Hamaray, Andergam, Haigam and Sopore are the main examples where the water washed away these bunds and the water enter into the residential areas and causes havoc among people. The flood water turns thousands kannals of agricultural land into barren as the land is covered with sand and pebbles and the people are now turning their agricultural lands into non-agricultural purposes This again cause burden to the govt. as these villages are not dependent on govt. for their food but this conservation would lead pressure on govt. for their food. This conversion causes food security among people which would lead to violence. Thousands kannals of agricultural land which feeds almost thousands of people are now turning into other non-agricultural uses by these villagers.

These bunds are still in the same condition as washed away by the water and no employ, govt. department, MLA, Minister, DC etc. starts embankment in these areas. This shows the interest of the concerned employees and the government to the people of Kashmir. They are busy to build their own houses with the black money which was released for the use of the public property. People should launch an FIR against such corrupted Govt. and the concerned department for such a great loss.

Today again one side of the bund was destroyed by rain water, farmers sowing the seeds of maize, and beans and rice cultivation was also done. But all in vain, as rain water washes these seeds with him and it covered the land with heavy siltation. Such destruction was never done before because the roots of the trees holds the soil firmly. As in the same year it is third time when the Balkul Bunds was washed away leaving behind scars of sorrowful hearts and faces of these villagers who main occupation and earning was these agricultural and Horticultural business.  The bunds are now barren due to deforestation, as to widening and drugging of the Balkul (river) by the flood and irrigation department but from almost 1 year nothing such activity was done from the same department result was the loss of Property.

These destructions happened as the govt. of Jammu and Kashmir has no planning before they start any developmental work and the results are in front of them, come and visit these areas and see the pains and sorrowful faces of these farmers.