NewsID: 192 Author Mohammad Azhar , PRO (K) Dated 29 October 2024
Subject CEO, ERA reviews progress on river morphological studies
Asks consultants to provide the cost effective measures for flood mitigation
Mr. Muhammad Aijaz Asad (IAS) Secretary to Government/ Chief Executive Officer, J&KERA/ JTFRP chaired a meeting to review the progress of consultancy services for preparing feasibility and detailed project reports for the flood mitigation and comprehensive river management measures for Tawi and Jhelum basins being undertaken as part of the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project at civil secretariat Srinagar here today.
Er. Susheel Kumar, Director, Technical, JTFRP informed that the river morphological studies of Tawi and Jhelum basins are being undertaken as part of the strengthening of disaster management capacity component of the World Bank funded Jhelum Tawi Flood Recovery Project.
While giving powerpoint presentation about the progress achieved on the consultancy services for preparing feasibility and detailed project report for the flood mitigation and comprehensive river management for the Jhelum basin, David Sergeant, team leader M/S Eptisa consultancy informed that the peak flow of 3,260 cubic meters (1,15,000) cusecs recorded at Sangam by I&FC (Kashmir) during 2014 floods which has also been adopted by CWC (Central Water Commission) as the 100 year average recurrence interval flow has been used for project design purposes. He said that the major design requirements for the flood risk management is to provide a protection to areas along the banks of river Jhelum and its tributaries.
Team leader, Eptisa further informed that the preliminary recommendations for flood mitigation suggested include, increasing the embankments in Srinagar, increasing the carrying capacity of the flood spill channel with diversion away from the hokersar and Nowgam wetlands together with raising the flood embankments in Srinagar, construction of supplementary flood diversion channel (Dogripora channel extended south to Vishav nallah and discharging to Wular lake and the construction of flood control dams on the Lidder and Vishav nallah.
He added that action plan for the proposed program include the immediate/ short term measures (2 years), mid term measures (5 years) and long term measures and these would include the activities like dredging of Jhelum basin, dredging of its tributaries, development of control plan/licensing of riverbed material extraction, develop, implement and enforce the land use controls for commercial developments on floodplain. Development of flood prone land planning code, designating floodway zone, flood storage zone, flood fringe zones, monitoring climate change impacts, catchment studies, flood risk mapping along with the community flood hazard risk awareness.
CEO, ERA directed the consultants for the Jhelum basin study to further accelerate the progress on the study and maintain strong coordination with I&FC (K) and all the other concerned project stakeholders.
Later the Team Leader M/S Aqualoguous consultancy which has been tasked with the consultancy services for preparing feasibility and detailed project report for the flood mitigation and comprehensive river management for the Tawi basin informed that the scope of the study includes the reviewing and impacts of 2014 floods, preparing the feasibility study and the detailed project report for flood mitigation in Tawi basin .
He said that the consultancy has already prepared and submitted the various tasks included under the study which include the collection of data, developing & calibrating the various hydrological, hydraulic, hydrodynamic models. He added that draft Detailed project report prepared include the proposed engineering designs, drawings, environmental and social impact reports.
As part of the flood risk mitigation measures the study has proposed the flood & erosion management of Tawi basin, desilting works, raising of flood embankments, flood sluices/ regulators at various locations, riverbank works ( concrete walls, Gibbon walls, spurs etc.
Team leader, Aqualogous further informed that suggestions given by the I&FC (J) are being regularly incorporated and report updated accordingly.
CEO, ERA asked both the consultancies to undertake the studies in a fully professional manner and suggest the scientific methods which are most cost effective and would be instrumental in strengthening of flood mitigation measures in the river basins of Jhelum and Tawi.
Meeting was also attended by Er. Susheel Kumar, Director, J&KERA, Er.Baiza Rafeeq, Project Manager ,J&KERA, Er. Shabeer Alamgeer, Deputy Project Manager, J&KERA, Nodal officers of Jal Shakti (I&FC) for the project, and other senior officers of J&KERA, JTFRP and Jal Shakti Department.
Economic Reconstruction Agency 