Tanveer Hussain
Budgam, Sep 3: Continuous rainfall has led to flooding in parts of Budgam district, with several localities along the Shaliganga river affected. Water has entered homes in Dangerpora, Wathoora and Panzan, damaging property and forcing families to shift belongings or move to safer places.
People in the area said that the water level rose quickly, leaving little time to respond.
Environmental activist Dr Raja Muzaffar, who visited the affected areas, said that unchecked mining in the Shaliganga riverbed has contributed to the weakening of embankments. “Unregulated extraction of sand, boulders and gravel has disturbed the natural course of the river,” he said, urging the administration to take corrective measures.
Locals also expressed concern over the lack of long-term flood control planning. “We had raised the issue of illegal mining months ago, but nothing was done,” said Ghulam Rasool of Wathoora. Others demanded compensation for losses and stricter regulation of riverbed mining. [KNT]
