Anantnag: The incessant rainfall caused water-logging in several areas of south Kashmir’s Anantnag town on Saturday.
The water level in the already encroached irrigation canals and streams in the town overflowed and inundated many localities.
“The KP Road areas as well as many other localities of the old town including Sher Bagh and Janglat Mandi were inundated, making the movement of people difficult,” locals said.
The water entered the Maternity and Childcare Hospital (MCCH) at Sherbagh and the patients and their attendants had a difficult time.
Municipal Council authorities later pressed their men and machinery to drain out the water.
The locals attributed the frequent water-logging in the town to poor drainage systems and encroachment of water bodies.
“Four years ago, the government dug up the entire town for sewage, seepage, and drainage purposes. We don’t know what happened to that project on which crores were spent,” said Muneeb Ahmad, a local.
He asked why the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and drainage were not functional.
Another local, Aadil Ahmad blamed the encroachment on water bodies – irrigation canals, flood channels, and rivulets as the reason for the inundation of the town.
“The water bodies like Ladi Laizbal Irrigation Canal, Aaripat – a Jhelum tributary, Nagbal spring outlets and other small streams have been choked as commercial structures, houses, and toilets continue to galore over them,” he said.
Ahmad blamed the municipal authorities and Flood and Irrigation department for allowing the structures to come up.
“I have been raising the issues of encroachment on water for the past so many years but since it is in the interests of the concerned departments, they are unmoved,” he said.