Dr Gurdev Singh and O. P Sharma
Present day Jammu city, inhabited by nearly 10 lakh people(urban agglomeration) of diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds , is situated on both the East and West Banks of the River Tawi (called as Surya Puttri with reverence) or often named as Tau in Dogri by the traditional inhabitants of Jammu region. This river has been flowing continuously through its course since long perhaps from the times of early geological formation of the topology of the region. It originates from the lapse of Kali Kundi glacier and adjoining area southwest of Bhadarwah in district Doda. Its catchment is demarcated by latitude 32°35′-33°5’N and longitude 74°35′-75°45’E covering the catchment area of 2168Km2 in districts of Doda , Udhampur and Jammu up to International Border with Pakistan .
The Tawi is not only a water flowing stream but it is considered as the life- line for lakhs of people inhabiting along its catchment and the environs around from its origin point up to International Border with Pakistan . It is a perennial river. It feeds the lowland crop fields of the vicinity. Up to nearly five decades back the water of the river Tawi was drinkable and served as major source of drinking water for people that time. It used to flow in the natural environs with no soil erosion and also without pollution.
Sacred River
Our immediate foregoing generation is the witness and narrates us that Tawi water was so crystal clear that even the small fish and pebbles could be interestingly watched with naked eyes ! Its banks throughout its course up to Jammu city and even in down town were bearing a typical vegetation comprising peculiar shrubs, trees and grasses holding the rocks and stones which naturally protected the soil erosion to great extent and obviously guarded the looming flow of river’s waters during the rainy season.
It is unfortunate and cursing also that man of today, for his greed and vested interests, has severely damaged and uprooted the natural banks of this river and obstructed its course here and there by erecting illegal and unpermitted building structures and unplanned barrages.
Man-Nature Harmony
There is an example to cite here that in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, there is a world famous zoo in which a cage bears a sign-board reading “World’s Most Dangerous Animal” but to one’s astonishment, it is empty and has only a full height mirror inside which reflects one’s own image i.e. The Man who at times acts against The Nature. The delicate balance between the two must be maintained for sustenance of the Grace of The Mother Earth.
What happened in Jammu on the day of the Tawi flash flood on 6th to 8th September, 2014, is still haunting and evocative as it happened after long span of time. The administration was caught napping and loss to the people was really huge indeed. It was the strongest flood flash after 1987. All Jammuites were so scared as potent danger loomed large before them and still lingers on . The Tawi flashed away the newly constructed fourth bridge and all the dwellings which were recently erected illegally proximal to this bridge. The torrential flood devastated everything in the catchment area which came in its way. Udhampur and the Jammu Districts were the worst affected in terms of loss of lives, homes, land, livestock, crops and transport connectivity infrastructure and so on. Exact figures of loss in these regions are being worked out. The administrative machinery is busy in making the surveys to assess the catastrophic losses.
Short-Long Term Plans
We are the inhabitants of the Mother Earth which is prone to several catastrophes and calamities because of our fiddling with nature but in order to exist and resist here, man certainly has to exert and strive for the answer to a sixty four thousand dollar question that why we fiddle the nature.
Our preparedness to combat the disasters should be devised on sustainable and strategic policy frame-work . All the concerned agencies like Flood Control, Disaster Management, Area Planning and Development authorities and various other stake-holders including NGOs as also civil society should pool their resources to draw up comprehensive strategy and programmes for better management of the Tawi through anti-flood measures and also train our rivers for optimal irrigation utility and also beautification measures. At all costs avert the dangers of the flood havoc. The Tawi flood fury is over now but has left behind many tales of dismay.
Prepare Action Plan
The State Government and other agencies must have learnt proper lessons and take immediate steps to rebuild the infrastructure, rehabilitate the victims promptly and properly and work on schemes so that every citizen looks forward tor better times ahead.
The Tawi River needs an ambitious plan on the pattern of the Ganga Protection and Development Programme as the people of this region consider it sacred and as a saviour. It is really a challenging task before the planners, professional engineers, flood experts, JMC authorities and even our political leadership to face the future squarely for total development of the Tawi for our present generation and the posterity. But billion dollar questions still remains whether the government will take up this challenging task of the best management and maintenance of Tawi and other such other natural gifts of God?