‘Apart from geographical location, people also responsible for causing floods’
Kashmir will see another floods in future also, says Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus, who blames people for encroachment and constructing houses on flood channels.
In an interview with Kashmir Post, Lotus said “ As per our observation, we have noticed whenever there is rainfall for more than 48 hours in places like Qazigund, Kokernag and Pahalgam a flood like situation arises in Kashmir. Because in 48 hours if over 100 millimeter rain falls, which is more than the normal parameters then floods are declared.”
In 2014, when the devastating floods submerged Kashmir, the monsoon season had started in India, “We do have monsoon season in Kashmir, and monsoon rains do reach the places like Kashmir and Ladakh when monsoon currents are strong,” he said.
“In September 2014, when monsoon season was at its peak we noticed conversion of two whether system – western disturbance winds from Arabian Sea and West Bengal – they met at the Pir Panjal range and that led to rainfalls. The intensity, duration and damage the rain caused was unexpected.”
Similarly, post floods in 2015, Lotus said, “Thrice, the rainfall crossed the 100 millimeter parameter and flooded the water bodies, but fortunately we didn’t suffer the damage that we did in 2014.Though, in low lying areas inundation and water logging were noticed.”
“And in 2017 we again saw floods, now in future we are also prone to have floods, because our geographical location is like that,” he said.
Sonam who had predicted the three days rainfall that inundated Kashmir said people have built houses in flood prone areas and have encroached the wetlands. This is reason that the water bodies had lost the capacity to hold water, eventually causing floods, he said.
“There is lot of encroachment here; people have constructed houses at places that were actually flood channels, and because of the incessant rainfall water gets accumulated at those places, eventually causing water logging or floods.”
“ Similarly people throw waste in water bodies that has made them to lose their capacity to hold water, which also is the cause for floods, like it happened couple of days ago,” Lotus Said.
With people blaming the government for not scooping out the mud and other wastes from the rivers, Lotus says, “Dredging is not the only solution; it is a part of the solution. The government has to come up with a foolproof planning.”
Civic society should also join hands with government and help in demolishing the structures built in encroached areas, he said.
“Also institution like schools, colleges and universities should impart this knowledge among students that waste shouldn’t be thrown in rivers. Dustbin should be kept at places, so that people don’t throw waste in rivers.”
