The Chairman JK Water Resources Regulator Authority, Ghanshyam Jha today stressed for an integrated and coordinated approach by the different departments, complimenting and supplementing each other, avoiding overlapping of actions to conserve the water resources of Kashmir.

He said this during an interactive meeting convened at I&FC guest house, Ram Munshi Bagh, here.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation, VC LAWDA, Chief Engineers of I&FC, PHE and Coordinator WUCMA.

During the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the need to restore the lost natural drainage links to avoid urban flooding. He laid stress on demarcation of all lakes using geo-tagged boundary pillars to prevent encroachments on the analogy of Wular Lake done by WUCMA.

He further directed to carry out upstream interventions to arrest silt load at source, thereby reducing siltation of water bodies. He also directed to strike a balance between the need and the availability of resources for managing water resources by concerned authorities.

The meeting also discussed various issues including dumping of garbage into water bodies, removal of encroachments from water bodies, rehabilitation of Dal dwellers, demarcation of lakes and flood mitigation.

Meanwhile, the Chairman JK-WRRA concluded his four-day official visit to Kashmir on Thursday. During the visit Jha conducted extensive field tours and held wide ranging discussions with all stakeholders.

He visited lakes and water bodies in and around Srinagar city like Gilsar, Khushalsar, Anchar, Nalla Amir Khan and Baba Demb. He also inspected Wular Lake, Jhelum inlet at Banyari and Outfall channel of Jhelum at Ningli.

Appreciating the initiative of Wular Conservation and Management Authority, Jha commended it for taking up a large scale restoration project for conservation of Wular Lake under the Wular Action Plan. He appreciated WUCMA for completing demarcation of Wular Lake to prevent encroachments using geo-tagged boundary pillars.

On concluding the visit, Jha said he received firsthand experience of issues that are of interest to conservation, management and regulation of water resources of Kashmir.

He expressed his commitment to work with all stakeholders within the Authorities mandate. J&K Water Resources Regulatory Authority will monitor very closely the functioning of all concerned authorities to make sure all issues pertaining to water regulation, its judicious use and conservation are addressed, he added.