No lessons learnt from devastating September 2014 floods Govt constructions apace in flood channels, prone areas of Bandipora Bandipora, Jan 10: The painful memories of September 2014 floods are still fresh but authorities seem to be a confused with their hypocrisy. In some places they are removing the encroachments from flood channels and simultaneously the new government buildings are coming up in rivers, streams and in flood prone areas. Residents of the areas around these new sites are shocked as they expressed fear that authorities kept their eyes and ears closed and didn’t bother to visit the sites and take action. “In fact the construction is going on in league with the local administration as buildings belong to the government”. A 50-bed Gynae cum maternity hospital in Bandipora is being constructed in a Nallah (ravine) known for strong floods. The hospital is being constructed by R&B department funded by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) as part of Resettlement and Rehabilitation plan. Last year Deputy Commissioner stalled the work on the hospital for being the flood prone area but few days ago the construction started at the same place. Deputy Commissioner Bandipora Shah Faesal said he had stopped work as it was being constructed in flood prone area. “Local residents didn’t provide free land so we had no option but to construct it at the same place,” he said adding, “We will take every flood protection measure.” Locals ridiculed the DC’s version saying there is lot of Kahcharai (grazing land) available around the project site but government has some ulterior motives behind construction at the particular site. “For the sake of argument if we assume there was no land available, why didn’t they purchase land for the same. They purchased land for hundreds of crores for the project, why not few acres for the hospital,” said Fayaz Ahmad Shah, a local. He said earlier NHPC acquired their land at very cheap rates and now they want them to give free land for the hospital. Why don’t they buy?” he questioned. NHPC Chief Engineer put the responsibility on district administration saying they provide funds to the government. “It is their responsibility to identify land and other things,” said Chief Engineer NHPC, Khalid Omar. The hospital is being constructed at the cost of 18 crore rupees. Locals further said a large amount of money will be wasted as they have to spend money for flood protection measures. “If they took measures they will use money on that which will affect the over-all construction,” they added. This is not the only building being constructed in flood prone area. An FCI godown in the same district in Sonawari region is coming up near River Jhelum. The godown is merely few metres away from the river. And also few metres lower than the river bed. However DC Bandipora said he has nothing to do with it as the godown is being constructed by central government. Locals said the godown is being constructed below the level of river Jhelum and officials allowed it for political pressures. “The Sonawari area was represented by former Minister Muhammad Akbar Lone and he used his influence to get it constructed in at the flood prone area,” they added. Similarly Polytechnic College Bandipora is also being constructed in flood prone area in the marshy land of Wular. Locals said the former MLA managed to get the land identified in marshy land as the area is in his neighborhood and a vote bank for him.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Jan 2015 03:39:11 +0000
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