Pre-emptive measures for tackling flood-like situation in Kashmir indispensable: Sheikh Imran

Srinagar, June 22 (RNA) : Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference State Youth President and former Deputy Mayor SMC Sheikh Mohammad Imran on Wednesday urged the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene and direct the Department of Education to announce a two-day school closure in view of the incessant rains and inclement weather conditions across Kashmir division. Taking to microblogging website Twitter, Imran said the schools and other educational institutions must announce a holiday for two-days till the sun comes out. “There are high chances that children might fall sick in this weather and therefore as councillor SMC I propose to issue an order for the closure of schools in Nishat Ward-2. The same needs to be done across the valley till the weather improves and children can move out of their houses safely,” he said. Besides, he urged the concerned government wings like SDRF to keep its men and machinery ready for tackling any ominous situation while taking necessary precautionary measures for saving the lives of people living close to the river banks. “As immoderate weather conditions have triggered flash-floods at many places and the water is flowing above danger levels in few tributaries, the authorities must exhibit utmost vigil and carry out rescue operations in susceptible areas where landslides, flash-floods and shooting stones may wreak havoc. The people living in such vulnerable areas must be relocated to safer places by the Disaster Management teams in coordination with the respective district administrations,” Imran remarked. He further demanded that water de-logging machines must be dispatched to low lying areas so that people do not have to go through adversities. “The water de-logging services must be put into operation in the areas adjacent to Dal Lake, Bemina along with other vulnerable places across Srinagar. Water de-logging in the city streets needs to be carried out assiduously for averting the traffic jam in these weather conditions. I am hopeful District Administration Srinagar will take necessary measures to ensure people face no trouble,” he said. Imran asserted that concerned government bodies must take cognizance of the ongoing dredging and desilting projects of various rivers and lakes across Kashmir in order to prevent another deluge in the valley as many independent reports suggest. “Taking comprehensive measures for rejuvenating our dying water bodies remains imperative for countering the wrath of climate change. The flood channels need to be restored immediately and all the illegal structures must be razed down and confiscations removed otherwise we will have to fear every drizzle in the impending years,” Imran observed.