1. Home
2. Jammu Kashmir

Central Water Commission has no flood forecast system for J&K

FARZANA SYED. Dated: 4/8/2015 12:36:34 PM

SRINAGAR, April 7: The Central Water Commission (CWC) India’s leading water resources body which provides flood forecasts and predictions, surprisingly lacks flood monitoring system for Jammu and Kashmir.
CWC issues flood alerts and monitors the situation so that the states under the threat get ready to tackle with the flood like circumstances. However for J&K there is no forecasting system with CWC.
The monitoring system is usually based on the hydrological and meteorological inter-related setup and provides hydrographs for rivers and several areas therefore detecting the flood scenario.
CWC consequently issues advisories to the vulnerable locations to get them alerted for dealing with the situation.
“There is no flood forecast system for the state of J&K yet. We are in the process to set up the same. May be till next monsoon we may find some results. Though to some extent we could detect and we had issued warnings to the Irrigation and flood control department of J&K,” V.D Roy, director CWC revealed.
He added, “The forecast system includes a monitoring set up which gets future scenario detected. As long as forecast for Jammu and Kashmir is concerned it is n the process of development.”
The flood monitoring system is an early warning system which detects the water levels and provides major alerts and flood forecast. The official sources revealed that since the September deluge a demand was pressed for the implementation of food forecast system for J&K. However, as of now no initiatives have been taken by the government.
President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Aashiq said that the organization had chaired several meetings with government and forwarded the demand for the implementation of flood monitoring system for valley.
Reiterating that there was an immediate need for the implementation of flood forecast set up for valley Sheikh Aashiq said, “We need a proper monitoring system which could at least get people alerted if there is a flood threat. In several meetings we have pressed this demand but as of now no initiatives have been taken by the central government.”
He added, “Recently the government officials revealed the monitoring system shall be implemented by the month of June however we fail to understand why they were delaying it. Do we have to wait for another disaster. It is only for the government of India to take steps since the state government is helpless.”
The incessant rainfall during last couple of weeks which almost caused yet another deluge has thumped an alarm across the valley. With the memories of horrific September floods still afresh the recent flood threat almost doubles the panic and concerns among the people.
Though the administration claims of making efforts to tackle with the situation, yet no initiatives have been taken on ground level since the floods hit valley last year.