Advisor Bhatnagar reviews progress on PMDP projects for Comprehensive Flood Mgmt

Srinagar: Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, chaired a meeting to review progress on PMDP projects of Jal Shakti (I&FC) department for Comprehensive Flood Management works on river Jhelum here Saturday.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Jal Shakti Department, M Raju; Chief Engineer Jal Shakti (I&FC) Kashmir, Ifthikar Ahmad Kakroo, Chief Engineer Jal Shakti (PHE) Kashmir, Iftikar Ahmad Wani and other senior officials of the department.
Chairing the meeting, the Advisor asked the concerned officers for expeditious completion of all projects with timely submission of Utilization Certificates (UCs). He also asked for taking up necessary steps to give push to completion of pending works and provision of budgetary support in respect of the works which have already been executed.
During the meeting, the Advisor was informed that the PMDP project for Comprehensive Flood Management works on river Jhelum has been divided into two phases; Phase I and Phase II at the cost of Rs. 399.29 crore and Rs. 1684.60 crore respectively.
Giving details on achievements under Phase I, the Chief Engineer I&FC informed the meeting that Rs. 313.797 crore have been spent on different works besides other critical infrastructure. He further informed the meeting that under Phase I, the discharge carrying capacity of river Jhelum has been increased from 31800 cusecs to 41000 cusecs while as the carrying capacity of Flood Spill Channel (FSC) Padshahi Bagh has been increased from 4000 to 8700 cusecs. He revealed that re-sectioning at Bemina and Shariefabad of FSC has been completed while as the construction of two bridges at NaidKhai and Shariefabad on FSC is going on and will be completed within a month.
Addressing the officers, Advisor Bhatnagar stressed on them to maintain quality of works besides taking up proactive measures to make the flood management successful. He asked them to ensure that all the ongoing works are completed within the fixed timelines.
The Advisor directed the concerned officials to raise the embankments at all vulnerable spots besides carrying out dredging works at critical points to increase the carrying capacity of the river and FSC.
Advisor Bhatnagar further directed the officials to evolve an effective mechanism for controlling the soil erosion around the embankments besides formulating a long term plan for management of tributaries so as to reduce the impact of floods.