SRINAGAR, October 31, 2026 – To prevent a recurrence of devastating floods in the Kashmir Valley, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has directed the Union Territory administration to submit a detailed response outlining its strategies for the restoration of the River Jhelum and comprehensive flood management.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Yash Paul Bourney sought the reply after the Amicus Curiae in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) raised urgent concerns regarding the government’s current flood prevention measures.
During the proceedings, the Amicus Curiae highlighted three primary issues demanding immediate clarity from the administration: the extent of legal and illegal mining activities currently taking place across the River Jhelum; the number of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) proposed to be established along the river’s course; and the exact status of embankments that have been built or removed to contain potential floods.
Representing the government, Senior Additional Advocate General (AAG) Mohsin Qadri assured the court that he would address these specific questions and clarify the details of an affidavit filed by the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir on October 25, 2026. The Division Bench directed the Senior AAG to respond to the Amicus’s queries promptly and explicitly point out the milestones already achieved by the administration.
The court’s intervention comes after the Amicus Curiae pointed out critical deficiencies in the Divisional Commissioner’s recent affidavit, particularly concerning unauthorized industrialization within highly vulnerable flood zone areas.
According to the affidavit, a scientifically prepared, statutory “Floodplain Zoning Map” must be finalized for Srinagar and other vulnerable settlements. This map would divide land to demarcate high-risk floodways where no new construction should ordinarily be permitted. However, it was brought to the court’s attention that a new industrial proposal appears to directly conflict with these binding statutory planning prohibitions.
The Amicus emphasized that this conflict must be legally resolved before any land filling, site development, or construction takes place in the flood plains. The petitioner has prayed for a status quo to be maintained at the disputed site and requested the exact cadastral boundaries of a proposed park overlaid upon the SAC-protected zone.
Furthermore, the Amicus Curiae has urged the court to direct the authorities to swiftly implement the integrated “Jhelum Basin Urban Resilience and Flood Management Programme” and to conduct a complete hydraulic audit of the river.
The PIL aims to force the execution of a comprehensive, scientifically backed flood prevention framework to protect residential areas, particularly the low-lying capital city of Srinagar, which suffers from severe natural drainage constraints due to its flat terrain and overall low elevation.
Published by True Roots Media Network