Srinagar, Nov 13 (KNS): Unauthorized private machine in river Jhelum has weakened the side boundaries of this water body as weakened embankments have started eroding gradually.
The unauthorized activity by some private individuals in this river is posing risk of breakage of embankment anytime without any warning.
These machines, numbering around thirty, are presently functioning unauthorizedly at Lasjan, Pantha Chowk, Padshahibagh, Soiteng, Rajbagh and other adjacent areas.
“These machines extract sand from river. It makes deep and major holes near embankments while extraction of sand. Those holes make embankments weak,” eye witnesses told KNS.
They added that the embankments of river have weakened in areas where these machines are unauthorizedly functional, adding, “At various places including Soiteng, Lasjan and Padshahibagh the embankments have started eroding.”
Eye witnesses said that erosion has damaged major portions of embankments at various places while the authorities are sitting watching all as mute spectators.
“The inaction by authorities gives an assumption as they are hand in glove with those who are carrying all this illegal and unauthorized activities,” said Ghulam Qadir of Lasjan.
Locals of various localities said that they have brought the matter into the notice of concerned officials of Irrigation and Flood Control Department.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“However, there was hardly any satisfactory response or action on the ground which could have satisfied public at large,” they said.
Pertinently, after the devastated flood hit most parts of the Srinagar in 2014, state and central government has began to chalk out strategy in consultation with experts to increase the water capacity of Jhelum and strengthen the embankments.
“We have been taking actions against those who were found involved in using machines in river unauthorizedly. However, police is not cooperating with us. We have written to concerned higher ups in this regard,” said an official of Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
“When we visit any place after receiving information about the presence of machine carrying illegal activity in river, we visit that place. There are always apprehensions of attacks on officials from those who carry these illegal activities. The first and foremost necessary is that a police party must be with the officials to make the process of action under law effective and save embankments from any other further damage,” he added.
He admitted that the machines in question have weakened the embankments and erosion has begun at various places, “which is a sign of unwarned danger.” (KNS)