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Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 08 May 2015

• To asses extent of damage by Phutkal Lake breach

LEH: A high level team from State Government comprising Minister for PHE, Sukhnandan Chowdhary, Minister for Cooperative, Chhering Dorjey, Chairman State Legislative Council, Haji Anayat Ali and Vice Chairman, Khadi & Village Industry Board, Syed Bakir Rizvi today took stock of the extent of damages in Zanskar and Leh caused in the wake of breaching of Phuktal lake yesterday.

The experts of NDMA comprising Joint Advisor, Dhirendra Singh Sindhu and Chief Geologist, NHPC, B D Patni while briefing the State team said they have carried out aerial inspection of River Phutkal landslide site today again and observed that the water level is gradually reducing as it is passing through the artificial channel which has deepened and widened now. The NDMA team said they were expecting the breach in the 14 km long lake and were monitoring the situation round the clock. They further said that there seems no cause of worry as maximum water has now flown out and a small volume of water is left in a length of 4-5 KMs of the lake.

The official delegation while interacting with the experts of NDMA at Leh said that the timely precautionary and preventive measures taken by the State and district administrations at both Leh and Kargil resulted in zero loss to the human life and livestock. The team of Ministers said they have assessed the degree of damages and said they would submit a detailed report to the Chief Minister to take further course of action mainly in restoration of all the bridges, roads and other damaged infrastructures in both Zanskar and Leh.

The Minister for Cooperative Chhering Dorje while addressing a press conference said the Government would give additional money to both the Hill Councils of Leh and Kargil to restore the damaged infrastructures like motorable bridges and roads and also initiate necessary measures for rehabilitation of the families who suffered in Lungnak area of Zanskar. Minister said the breaching of Phuktal lake was happened almost according to the plans of the NDMA team. In the event of taking some more time, the lake water could cause much more damage with accumulation of huge volume of water, Dorjey said.

He said 12 bridges including 3 motorable bridges in Lungnak valley have been washed away and also the newly installed steel bridges of Nyaraks and Chilling- Kaya  in Leh district also washed away by the water. Chering Dorje said that Chilling-Kaya bridge was the lifeline for the entire Skyu-Markha valley which was realized as a result of nearly 20 years of hard efforts, and said that till a new motorable bridge is coming up, we need to restore the TOLLY system immediately. Answering to a question of compensation for the damaged land at Nimoo, Minister said that he has already told DC, Leh to make an assessment of the damaged land through the Revenue deptt. for necessary compensation.

During their short stay in Leh, the Minister for Cooperative Chhering Dorjey talked with the people of Nyaraks on DSPT and enquired their welfare. Responding to the people’s demands, the minister assured that he would do his best to restore the damaged infrastructure mainly the steel bridge. Chairman  Legislative Council , Haji Inayat Ali said that Zanskar has comparatively suffered more and  top priority needed to be given for early restoration the road connectivity in Lungnak area of Zanskar for the convenient of the people. He assured that the team would urge the CM to give more attention in the matter.

Minister for PHE, Sukh Nandan Chowdheri  said that the development of Ladakh is on the top priority of both State and Central Govt. He assured that  both Leh and Kargil districts would get sufficient funds for restoration of  all the damaged infrastructures caused due to burst of Phuktal lake.  The Minister further assured to bring a special package from Central Govt. for development of Ladakh.

The Deputy Commissioner Leh Saugat Biswas on this occasion briefed the State Govt. team about the loses of infrastructures in Leh district. Councilor Kyungyam Dorjey Motup and SSP, Leh Dr. Sunil Gupta also present on the occasion. Earlier, the team made an aerial visit of Phuktal Lake site and landed at Padum where they met the people of Zanskar and took first information report of the extent of damages. The team of Ministers also assured the people of Zanskar that the State Govt. would do all out efforts for early restoration of the damaged infrastructures.