Kashmir floods: Govts ignored warnings which came in 2010?

, Sept 9: For the past five days, Jammu and

has been witnessing incessant heavy rains and

. Reports say more than 200 people have been dead in the catastrophe. Many more people have gone missing.

Could this loss of life and property have been avoided? Yes, suggests an article which was published in Greater Kashmir website in February 2010. According to the website, it had published an article in 2010 which said, "Srinagar city is likely to submerge in water, due to a major flood in next five years". However, there is no way for us to confirm the website's claim.

The article says that according to the warnings issued by the state's flood control department, Srinagar would go under water in 'next five years' and the flood control department is not prepared to face a disaster of that quantum. "We are expecting a water discharge of around 150000 cusses if flood hits Srinagar city, leaving most parts of the city submerged", the report quotes a senor official of the flood control department.

To prepare for the worst, the department formulated projects worth Rs 2200 crore

The article says that the flood control department had predicted in 2010 that most parts of the valley from Khannabal (Islamabad) upto Khadinyar (Varmul) are likely to be hit by the looming flood and the entire valley would be cut-off from rest of the country. To prepare for the worst, the department formulated projects worth Rs 2200 crore and sent a request to the Centre regarding the same.

History too suggests that Srinagar is a region vulnerable to floods and similar natural calamities.

River Jhelum is the only drainage of Srinagar city, which doesnt have any other water outlets. Taking these facts into the account, government had constituted a committee - The Uppal committee - in 1976. The committee recommended various measures for flood control. However, none of the governments took the warnings or recommendations seriously, says the article.