Dal’s ecosystem choked by silt STPs, Pump Stations, water regulatory gates hit Srinagar: The fragile eco-system of Dal lake has been severely affected due to inflow of flood waters from river Jhelum. The deluge has hit the Dal conservation project as several of its key components including two Sewage Treatment Plants and several pumping stations have been damaged. On September 7, the flood waters of Jhelum entered Dal lake through breaches in embankments at Ram Munshibagh and Dalgate crossing damaging lake’s lock regulatory gate. Jhelum’s flood waters brought tons of silt and sewage into Dal severely affecting its flora and fauna and turbidity, chairman of Lakes and Waterways Development Authority Irfan Yasin told Greater Kashmir. Traces of petrol and diesel were also found in Dal lake as gushing Jhelum swept away fuel depots of several petrol stations in Srinagar. Officials said this is for the first time that Jhelum waters entered Dal after British engineers constructed water regulatory gates at Ram Munshibagh and Gaw Kadal several decades ago. The normal water level of Dal is nine feet while the danger level is 12 feet. After Jhelum waters entered Dal its level rose up to record 21 feet submerging localities in and around it. The force of Jhelum waters was so powerful that it brought a large chunk of stone masonry embankment of Jhelum to Dalgate, Yasin said. The level of river Jhelum crossed record 23 feet in Srinagar at Ram Munshi Bagh gauge on September 6. Day before rumors were rife that government is planning to open water regulatory gates of Dal to save uptown areas of Srinagar from floods. However, officials dismissed the rumors saying Jhelum breached embankments with Dal lake and city centre Lal Chowk. LAWDA officials maintain that imported machines meant for dredging and de-weeding operations are safe. Infact during floods we used these machines to rescue locals and tourists trapped in Dal, Yasin said. Our scientists are closely monitoring water chemistry of Dal to fully assess impact on inflow of silt laden waters of Jhelum. But our preliminary tests reveal that flood waters have damaged vital machinery in STP at Habak and Brari Nambal besides damaging several pump stations, Yasin said.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:41:12 +0000
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