Cloudburst, flashfloods hit Kargil, Leh in Ladakh

Leh/Kargil, Aug 13: A cloudburst and flashfloods struck two separate locations in the Union Territory of Ladakh, disrupting life and raising fresh concerns over flood control measures.Torrential rains triggered flash floods at Lamayuru on the Srinagar–Leh Highway on Wednesday, forcing authorities to suspend traffic movement on both sides of the route. Restoration work was immediately launched by the concerned departments to clear debris and restore connectivity.In a separate incident on Tuesday, a cloudburst hit Charkat Nallah in the Namsuru/Khawos area of Kargil, marking the fifth consecutive year of such calamities at the site. Councillor Parkachick, Agha Ainul Huda, voiced deep concern, saying that Rs 16 crore had been sanctioned last year under the Special Development Package (SDP) for flood control and irrigation works for the Nallah.According to him, a Delhi-based consultancy team visited the site five months ago. However, despite repeated reminders from the Councillor to the Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Department and other concerned officials, no groundwork has been initiated.“In 2017, eight houses were washed away and vast stretches of irrigated farmland were destroyed,” Agha recalled, urging the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh to prioritise the project and bypass lengthy administrative procedures. “In such life-threatening situations, departments must skip time-consuming processes like administrative approvals that can take two years. This project needs special focus now — 4,000 lives depend on it,” he added.