Raja Syed Rather
Ganderbal, Jan 8: Panic gripped Chodribagh and its adjoining areas in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district after power canal road developed major cracks on Saturday.
Locals said that major cracks surfaced on power canal road near Chodribagh area of Dobipora in Ganderbal district after incessant rain and snowfall in the district.
They said cracks are now very wide and power canal can breach any time. “If that happens, God forbit, that will be a district as dozens of villages will sub-merge within minutes,” a local said.
He said that it is just three kilometres from main chowk Ganderbal and if immediate steps aren’t taken, property worth billions will get damaged.
The locals of the area requested district development commissioner and JKPDC to look into matter immediately for the safety of people.
Officials said that the team has been rushed to the spot and efforts are prevent further damage.
District Development Council (DDC) chairperson Ganderbal Nuzhat Ishfaq said that she has taken up the issue with MDJKPDC Raja Yaqoob Farooq and urged him to take necessary steps for safety of life and property.
Chief Engineer Jal Shakti Department Kashmir Ifthikhar Ahmed Wani said that it is not breach of the canal, there is no apprehension, there is no danger to the population and people need not to panic all.
“We will try our level to ensure the properties remain safe,” he said. Hussain Teli Executive Engineer Power Development Corporation said that they have taken cognizance of the situation and will ensure round the clock PHE supply to the area.
An official statement of PDC said that Canal service road of Sindh Power canal (Water conductor for power generation, drinking water and irrigation) has subsided for a length of 45metre between Rd. 45000 to 46000 feet, near Malhar Nursery. “However, the water conductor is safe and there is no breach in canal. As an immediate measure, it has been decided in consultation with the CE, PHE Kashmir and Concerned Executive Engineer of I&FC Department, that the discharge in the water conductor shall be restricted to meet the requirement for drinking water supply only,” the statement read, adding that “in the meantime, efforts are being made to restrict further subsidence of the road. Besides, constant vigil is being maintained at the spot so that immediate mitigation measures can be taken for safety of life and property of general Public.”
