Jhelum Dredging Could Have Averted Fresh Floods: CM Omar

Srinagar- Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday hit out at those who were at the helm of affairs in Jammu and Kashmir after 2014 floods, saying they did nothing to ensure floods do not recur in the valley.

Omar said the past 11 years were“wasted” and asserted that the situation would have been different if the Jhelum river and its flood channel had been dredged.
“We will have to ask questions about what was done after the 2014 floods in Kashmir. Those who were ruling here have done nothing that would have ensured floods do not recur,” Omar told reporters after visiting the flood-hit Lasjan area of the city.
River Jhelum spilled over its banks at Shalina in Budgam district in the early hours of Thursday, leading to flooding of several low-lying areas.
Omar said the past 11 years, after 2014, were“wasted”.
The chief minister said there was no loss of life due to timely action taken by administration which ensured evacuation of people from the flood-affected areas.
“Thankfully there is no loss of life due to timely action by the administration but there is damage to property, which should not have been the case. If Jhelum and flood channel had been dredged during the past 11 years, we would not have faced this situation,” he added.
Omar said he would write a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah for sending a team to Kashmir for assessing the losses due to floods.
“A team from the Centre is coming to assess losses in the 10 districts of Jammu division. I will be writing a letter to Home Minister to send the same team to Kashmir as well for assessing the losses due to floods in valley districts,” he said.

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