Long-Term, Not Adhoc Response

The Valley has once again found itself under water. For several days now, continuous rainfall has left south and central Kashmir reeling. The Veshaw River in Kulgam crossed the danger mark, bridges have been closed in Anantnag and Pulwama, and nomadic families in Shopian were shifted to safer places. In Srinagar, breaches in the embankments near Budgam have inundated villages like Shalina, Rakh Shalina and Baghi Shakirshah, forcing mass evacuations.

The administration, to its credit, has acted swiftly. Rescue teams of the SDRF, NDRF, police, and revenue officials are on the ground. Evacuation advisories were issued for several Srinagar localities, including Lasjan, Nowgam, Padshahibagh and Mehjoornagar. Relief centres were activated, boats deployed, and sandbags pressed into service to contain breaches. In Jammu too, the Union Government has deputed an inter-ministerial team to assess damages caused by incessant rains, cloudbursts and landslides.

Yet, beneath this picture of activity lies a more sobering truth. Few days of rainfall are enough to bring Kashmir close to the brink. Water levels at Sangam and Ram Munshi Bagh remain above the danger mark even as they recede. Breaches in embankments, submerged roads, and damaged orchards have once again exposed the fragility of the Valley's flood-preparedness. The parallels with September 2014, when the Jhelum spilled over and devastated Srinagar, are uncomfortable.

Why is it that eleven years later, Kashmir remains so vulnerable? Why is every spell of heavy rain still met with frantic evacuations, announcements from mosques, and the desperate closing of bridges? The answer lies in the absence of a long-term vision. While administrative machinery deserves credit for its prompt response, the reliance on ad hoc measures, plugging a breach here, diverting water there, shifting people at the last minute, cannot be called a good flood management.

Experts have long warned that the Jhelum's carrying capacity has drastically reduced due to siltation, encroachment on floodplains, and unplanned urbanisation. The flood spill channel, meant as a safety valve, is choked and ineffective. Deforestation in catchment areas has worsened run-off, making rivers swell dangerously after even moderate rainfall. These are not new findings; they have been repeated after every major flood scare.

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