Srinagar, Aug 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said his government would seek answers from the administration to understand what flood mitigation measures were taken in Jammu and Kashmir after the 2014 deluge.
His remarks came after flash floods triggered by incessant rains wreaked havoc in Jammu and caused water bodies, including the Jhelum river, in Kashmir to swell.
“There were heavy rains in both Jammu as well as in Kashmir. God saved us. Had the rainfall continued for a day or more, we would have faced immense difficulties. But the water has started receding. It recedes faster in Jammu and takes some time here in Kashmir.
“We are out of danger, but I will have to sit with the officers and understand what we have done after 2014,” Abdullah told reporters here.
He said just two days of rain brought Kashmir to the brink of floods.
“What will happen if it rains for four days? We will face a situation like 2014. We had then (2014) endured it (rainfall) for seven days and drowned on the eighth day. But now, we endured two days of rains with difficulty,” he said.
Abdullah said the government needs to take corrective measures as people cannot live in the fear of floods every year.
“After some days, I will sit with the officers and try to understand what we did after 2014. Where was the money spent? How much carrying capacity of the flood channel was increased? How much did we succeed in increasing the carrying capacity by undertaking dredging in the Jhelum?
“We have to take corrective measures wherever we are lagging…,” he said.
Earlier, Abdullah visited the revered Hazratbal shrine on the banks of the Dal Lake here and reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming Eid-Milad-Un-Nabi — the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad.
He directed several departments to make proper arrangements for the devotees.
