Fear grips Bandipora village as stream diversion creates flood threat 

Bandipora, Apr 19: Amid continuous rains, the water level in water bodies has increased manifold. However, in north Kashmir's Bandipora village, at least two hundred households are looming under a flood threat, not solely influenced by nature but due to human intervention.

On Saturday, many villagers moved their belongings to safer places fearing the imminent threat, despite "several requests".

Notably, the authorities have approved some construction work inside Arin Nallah in Bandipora, due to which the contractors, with permission from the administration, have diverted the stream into the lower-capacity Papchan stream.

With rains dangerously swelling the stream, the villagers of Gorpora along Papchan Nallah were gripped in panic when water almost entered their homes.

However, the water receded after the diversion collapsed, but villagers remain in panic mode as they fear that with restoration works and continuous rains, "anything can happen."

Riyaz Ahmad Para, an auto driver who lives in a tin shed, said, "I couldn’t go to work. My family called me back saying the water level has increased and the situation has turned dangerous."

Para, who has small children, said the villagers requested the contractor to divert the water to the main stream.

"Instead, he’s been saying to remain cautious. But in case the water breaks in, how can we save ourselves?" he asked.

The villagers said a delegation also went to Deputy Commissioner's office for help.

The villagers said around "two hundred households were under risk", apart from other residents living along the stream, which lacks proper embankments.

"These are actually two streams, but the contractors have been diverting all the water to this stream," Para’s wife said, anxious about her children who they have kept indoors.

"Even though contractors and other officials came here in the morning, they seemed least bothered," she added.

Abdul Rahman Para, another elderly villager, said, "We removed our belongings from the house as some water seeped into our house this morning."

They alleged that even after repeated requests, the contractor didn’t divert all the water, leaving them anxious.

"Our families are at risk," Rahman said.

"We are so much under fear. In the morning, we almost fled our homes to protect ourselves," another woman said.

"We have nowhere else to go," she pleaded, adding that water was not being diverted.

"We are mostly worried about our little children as we are so close to the stream," she added.

Para said, "We appeal to the concerned authorities to divert the water so that we can take a sigh of relief."

Notably, Greater Kashmir witnessed that the Arin Nallah was overflowing the diversion, which apparently was the reason the water level had somewhat receded.

However, villagers remain in fear and seek assurance from administration, which they said was lacking.