SRINAGAR: Minister for Jal Shakti, Javed Ahmed Rana, today assessed Jammu and Kashmir’s flood preparedness during a meeting held with the Chief Engineers and other senior officers in wake of the ongoing monsoon season.
He reviewed the readiness and infrastructure needed for handling the emergency situations, especially in flood-prone areas across the region.
The Minister directed the officials to ensure round-the-clock monitoring of water levels across all major river systems, with focus on the Jhelum, Ravi and Tawi rivers and their tributaries.
He also visited the Flood Control and Management Room Ram Munshi Bagh Srinagar. He stressed the importance of real-time dissemination of early warning signals to all the concerned departments, agencies and stakeholders to enable swift and coordinated response.
The Minister was informed by the Flood Control Department informed that the department is fully equipped and operationally prepared to handle any flood-related exigency.
In a major development to boost the flood preparedness and communication, the Minister was informed that the department, in collaboration with the Information and Forecasting Cell (IFC), has developed the Kashmir Flood Watch App. This mobile application provides real-time updates on water levels in the Jhelum and its key tributaries, drawing data from a network of automatic water level recorders. The app plays a critical role in issuing early warnings and supporting informed, timely decision-making during emergencies.
To ensure an organized and effective flood response, an extensive institutional framework has been established. This included a Central Flood Committee, District Coordination Committees, Flood Zonal Committees, Sectors and Beats. Each of these have been assigned specific roles and responsibilities to ensure smooth coordination, resource mobilization and on-ground execution.
Regarding the logistics front, the Minister was informed that an ample stock of EC bags has been prepared. Many of which are already filled and strategically placed for immediate use during emergencies. This is part of a broader logistics and mitigation strategy aimed at facilitating a rapid and effective response to any breach or rising threat.
Rana commended the proactive efforts of the Flood Control Department. He reiterated the Omar government’s commitment towards safeguarding lives and property through timely interventions, technology-driven solutions and public awareness initiatives.
He urged all the departments and citizens to stay vigilant, cooperate with the authorities and make effective use of the digital tools and real-time updates being provided by the government.
