Govt defines protocol for Kandizal breach point in Jhelum

Srinagar, Oct 30: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday informed the Legislative Assembly that it has established a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to manage flood situations along the River Jhelum, particularly at the Kandizal breach point in Pulwama, even as it clarified that no proposal for an alternate flood channel is presently under consideration.

In a written reply to a question raised by MLA Ali Mohammad Dar, Minister in charge of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRRR), stated that the government had constituted the Effective Flood Mitigation Committee under Government Order No. 36-DMRRR of 2017, dated June 1, 2017, headed by the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. The committee is responsible for formulating and executing measures to manage floods and minimise damage across the Valley.

The reply said that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for an “induced breach” at Kandizal, Pulwama, was formally notified on June 10, 2024, by the Chairman of the Central Flood Committee (Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir). The SOP, it stated, “clearly outlines that any deliberate breach of the Jhelum embankment at Kandizal shall be executed only after careful assessment of discharge and gauge readings at Sangam and Pampore, and after consultation between the Central and Divisional Flood Committees.”

According to the government, once a decision for an induced breach is taken, the Superintending Engineer, Hydraulic Circle (I&FC Department), will deploy excavators to create a controlled opening to divert excess floodwaters into designated low-lying plains, thereby preventing inundation of densely populated downstream areas, including Srinagar.

The reply further said that to ensure coordination and safety, the Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, will provide police and magistracy support, while the Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar, Pulwama, and Budgam will oversee rescue, relief, and public information measures.

Responding to a related question on rehabilitation and resettlement of families residing near the breach point, the government said that the 2017 order also provides for the constitution of a Rehabilitation Committee to coordinate such efforts.

It added that multiple committees have been established at divisional, district, and zonal levels to plan and manage flood response. “During emergencies, all resources from departments including SMC, R&B, MED, SDRF, Police, and Civil Defence are mobilised under the command of the Divisional Commissioner to minimise loss of life and property,” the reply stated.

A Central Flood Control Room will function round the clock in Srinagar with adequate communication facilities and staff as per a notified duty roster. Vulnerable areas have been mapped and divided into zones, each placed under a designated magistrate responsible for safety measures, evacuation, and relief operations when required.

On the crucial question of whether the government plans to construct an alternate flood channel from Kandizal onwards as a long-term flood mitigation measure, the reply was categorical: “No such proposal is under consideration at present.”