Measures being taken to check floods in Samba: J&K minister

With the monsoons approaching, J&K minister Chander Prakash Ganga visited the Samba district to monitor flood protection measures in the area that was hit badly in the deluge last year.
The minister for Commerce and Industries visited forward villages of Tehsil Ramgarh yesterday and inspected the flood protection measures along the Deval and Basanter rivulets.
He also paid a visit to Koulpur, Kamore and other villages hit by previous year's flood due to breach in protection embankments of the twin rivers.
Deputy Commissioner Samba Sheetal Nanda, besides other officials accompanied the minister during the visit.
The locals of the village Koulpur apprised the minister about the situation and requested him to take effective measures to prevent repeat of last year's situation during the upcoming monsoon season.

They said that the villages adjoining to Devak and Basanter like Koulpur, Khanpur Rattanpur, Rangoor, Rangoor Camp, Barota, Keso, Kamor, Kamor Camp and Nanga are highly prone to floods and need immediate protection measures.

Responding to people's demand, the Commerce minister directed Flood Control Department to make straight diversion channel in Devak river from Koulpur to Tarapur so as to divert the maximum flow of water during floods.
He also asked for constructing a similar channel along Basanter river to minimize the flow of water during floods.
The engineer, however, informed Ganga that the process of making of diversion channel in Kamore Forward area is already in progress and will be completed soon and a proposal of embankment construction of 750 meters in Kamore forward area has already been made and work will be started soon.