Chenab crosses danger mark at Doda, several villages submerged

Following the construction of a dam in connection with Bhaglihar Hydro Power Project at Ramban's Chanderkote area, the water level of Chenab River has risen above the danger mark deluging half a dozen small villages in Pull Doda town.

More than 300 houses and around 200 shops have submerged into the river as the water level rose several meters. A lake has been formed on the East of the dam site due to the construction.

On Thursday District Development Commissioner, Sagar D Doifode told ANI that an advisory had been issued in advance. "An advisory has been issued in advance about water-flow going to increase due to rains in upper hilly areas and concerned agencies such as police, tehsils and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) had been given orders for the immediate evacuation of concerned sites."

Pull Doda is one of the busiest towns on the bank of river Chenab and the construction of the dam forced thousands of people to depopulate the area due to submerging of hamlets though no alternative shelter is provided to them so far.

However, they were assured compensation and rehabilitation at the beginning of construction which is still not given to them.

"The government provided only a part of the compensation of houses however no rehabilitation has been done so far. We are left stranded and are waiting for the promises to be fulfilled." said a local resident, Mushtaq Ahmed.

The situation is likely to worsen as Indian Meteorological Department predicted heavy rainfall in the isolated regions across the Jammu and Kashmir.