SRINAGAR: The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the government’s handling of flood management in the Valley, directing authorities to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) in a long-pending Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Environmental Policy Group (EPG).
The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal, heard extensive arguments in PIL No. 8 of 2017, which highlights the region’s flood vulnerability and ecological degradation. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir appeared virtually during the proceedings.
The Court asked the government to respond to recommendations made by Advocate Nadeem Qadri, Amicus Curiae, and the report filed by EPG Convenor Faiz Bakshi on September 8. The report, based on field observations, warned of recurring flood risks and administrative lapses in formulating a comprehensive flood management plan.
Chief Justice Palli expressed particular concern over the mismanagement of the Flood Spill Channel, Kashmir’s primary safeguard against floods. Pictorial evidence submitted by the Amicus Curiae showed encroachments and shocking negligence, including portions of the channel being converted into football fields.
The Bench granted the government three weeks to submit a detailed compliance report outlining both preventive and remedial measures. The matter will be listed again after the ATR is filed.
Advocate Shafqat Nazir, representing EPG, highlighted serious non-compliance with earlier court orders, urging strict accountability. The latest EPG report described the government as “clueless” and warned that unqualified decision-makers were worsening the crisis.
The report called for an immediate moratorium on land allotments, transfers, and construction within 500 metres of wetlands. It specifically cited projects such as Rakh Arth, Transworld University, and IIM Srinagar as exacerbating flood vulnerability.
Referencing the devastating 2014 floods, EPG stressed the importance of wetland and flood basin conservation and recommended creating small storage reservoirs in every basin and sub-basin. Bakshi suggested integrating these with solar-based hybrid pumped storage systems to address both flood control and power generation.
Pending since 2017, the PIL has repeatedly warned about the fragile flood management system in Kashmir. With the Court’s fresh directions, the government now faces the task of demonstrating tangible measures to protect the Valley from future flood disasters.
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