Srinagar, Jul 21 (KNO): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the government will assess the losses suffered by people affected by the recent rains and provide relief as per the prescribed norms. He further said an inquiry into the widespread waterlogging in Srinagar, assuring that Smart City works will undergo a third-party audit.
Replying to questions during a press conference here, Abdullah, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the administration would begin assessing losses once the weather improves and provide compensation to affected families in accordance with the existing guidelines.
“As far as compensation is concerned, the losses suffered by people will be assessed, and relief will be provided as per the prescribed guidelines,” he said.
The Chief Minister said an inquiry would be conducted after the weather improves to identify shortcomings and determine the corrective measures required to prevent such incidents in future. “Let the weather improve. We will conduct an inquiry and decide what corrective action needs to be taken,” he said.
Expressing regret over the situation, Omar described the flooding of the Civil Secretariat as “a matter of shame”, saying it was unacceptable that even the ground floor of the Secretariat was inundated.
“It is a matter of shame for us that even the ground floor of the Civil Secretariat was under water. This is not a normal situation,” he said.
The CM said the government was using all available resources to improve Srinagar’s drainage system, but the problem had accumulated over decades and could not be resolved overnight.
“This is such an old problem. Those before us neither resolved it nor seriously attempted to. It cannot be fixed overnight,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the previous administration over the Smart City project, Abdullah said those responsible for planning and implementing the project should explain how the funds were utilised.
“Those who brought the Smart City project here, implemented it and left the remaining work for us to complete should be asked where the Smart City money went, apart from the footpaths built along the Jhelum,” he said.
He said the Cabinet had already decided to order a third-party audit after finding a gap between the Smart City project's stated objectives and its actual outcomes. The order is yet to be implemented, but it will be taken forward, he said.
The Chief Minister said the government would continue using all available resources to improve the city’s drainage network while addressing long-pending deficiencies in urban infrastructure.
The response came a day after multiple parts of Srinagar were submerged following hours of intense rainfall, disrupting normal life, triggering protests by residents and renewing scrutiny of the city’s drainage infrastructure despite years of investment under the Smart Cities Mission.
The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) has welcomed Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's assurance that traders whose shops, business establishments and goods were damaged due to waterlogging during the recent rains in Srinagar will be adequately compensated.
In a statement issued to KNO, the Chamber said the announcement provides much-needed relief to the affected trading community, which suffered significant losses as several commercial areas remained inundated following a couple of hours of rain.
KCCI welcomes CM's assurance of compensation for waterlogged traders
KCCI also welcomed the CM's decision to subject the Smart City projects to a third-party audit, saying the Chamber has consistently been advocating for an independent technical audit of the inadequately designed drainage and stormwater network, as recurring incidents of waterlogging have exposed serious shortcomings in the planning, design and execution of the drainage infrastructure.
"A comprehensive technical audit should not be confined to the faulty Smart City projects alone but should extend to the entire drainage network across Srinagar and other urban centres in Kashmir," it said.
The government, KCCI said, must undertake a scientific assessment of the existing drainage infrastructure, identify the gaps in it and implement a comprehensive upgradation plan to ensure that cities are equipped to handle increasingly intense rainfall events.
KCCI further stressed that every major infrastructure and urban development project undertaken by the Government should be preceded by a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and all necessary environmental clearances.
Development projects, it said, must be in harmony with the region's natural drainage systems, rivers, wetlands, water bodies and ecological landscape, rather than disrupting them.
"The increasing frequency of flash floods, urban flooding and extreme weather events clearly demonstrate the growing impact of climate change on Jammu & Kashmir. This makes it imperative that all future planning incorporates climate resilience, scientific hydrological studies and sustainable urban development principles," it said.
The Chamber also urged the government to protect green belts, wetlands, floodplains, playgrounds and other natural water absorption areas from encroachment or conversion for construction activities. These ecological assets play a vital role in absorbing excess rainwater, recharging groundwater and reducing the risk of urban flooding, it said—(KNO)