Amid irrigation water crisis in Kashmir, Mechanical Engg Association urge overhaul of I&FC and PHE Departments

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar: Amid an intensifying water crisis triggered by deficit rainfall and declining water sources, the Jammu & Kashmir Mechanical Engineering Graduates Association has issued a strong appeal for urgent structural and operational reforms within the Jal Shakti Department. The association has stressed that both the Public Health Engineering (PHE) and Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) wings are under severe stress, calling for immediate intervention to strengthen mechanical and groundwater divisions.

In its statement, the association outlined five key recommendations to make the department more responsive to current water challenges and better prepared for future climate-induced crises:

1. Reorganization of Mechanical Divisions:
   The association called for increasing the number of mechanical service divisions from the current one per four districts to at least one per two districts in both PHE and I&FC wings. This, it said, would ensure wider coverage and faster response during emergencies.

2. Appointment of a Hydraulic Mechanical Chief Engineer:
   Highlighting a long-standing demand, the association stressed the urgent need for a dedicated Chief Engineer for Hydraulic Mechanical operations to provide high-level technical oversight and expedite resolution of engineering issues.

3. Enhanced Budget for Operation and Maintenance:
   Calling the current O&M funding inadequate, the association urged the government to increase budgetary allocations for the upkeep of mechanical systems and installed machinery to guarantee reliability and continuity of services.

4. Expansion of Groundwater Divisions:
   With surface water sources under strain, the association recommended strengthening and expanding groundwater divisions under both PHE and I&FC to secure long-term water availability.

5. Technical Control of Electromechanical Services:
   The statement also emphasized that services such as tankers and pumping stations should be placed under the direct control of Mechanical Divisions, staffed with trained professionals to ensure effective maintenance and accountability.

The association warned that without these targeted interventions, the Jal Shakti Department may struggle to meet the growing demands of water management in Jammu & Kashmir.

This urgent call for reforms comes at a time when residents across the Union Territory are facing mounting water shortages. The association appealed to senior political leaders including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Minister Javed Rana and Advisor to CM, Nasir Aslam Wani, to take note of the crisis and support the cause for a technically sound and future-ready water infrastructure.