News Kashmir Magazine

News Kashmir Bureau

Clean, safe drinking water is becoming scarce in the once water rich valley of Kashmir. The water woes are getting more aggravated in this holy month of Ramadan. People throughout the length and breadth of the Kashmir valley are complaining about the scarcity of potable water and many areas are witnessing protests as a result.

Pertinently, Downtown areas of Srinagar city are specially hit by this water scarcity and even once water sufficient areas are getting low volumes of water. The other areas like Batmaloo,Iddgah, Rawalpora have also  been facing dire problems with reference to drinking water.  In many areas of Kashmir the water supply schemes are taking much time to mature.

Even the rural areas like Pattan, Tral, Tangmarg etc are hit by this acute water scarcity.

In worrying statistics, more than 40 per cent of the rural areas in Jammu and Kashmir do not have access to proper drinking water facilities but the state government has guaranteed that all such habitations will be covered by 2020.

Pertinently,  state has 15,798 rural habitations, out of which 8,535 habitations (54 per cent) are fully covered and are being provided drinking water at 40-55 litres per consumer daily, Minister of State for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control, Farooq Ahmad Andrabi said at the Legislative Council recently .

As a matter of fact, the water crisis has reached the Assembly as recently  PDP MLA from Sonawar, Muhammad Ahsraf Mir, said that people in his constituency are “crying” for drinking water.

 

“People in my constituency are facing immense problems because of water scarcity. They have been continuously complaining about it, but the government is not addressing the issue,” Mir said.

 

Mir said that the officials in PHE are giving wrong information to the government and especially to the minister concerned about availability of water and water supply schemes.

 

“Strict action should be taken against these officers for misleading the minister and the government,” he said, adding, “The information provided about water supply schemes and pipeline is totally baseless. The officers have said that Rs. 10 lakh have been spent for pipes, but only less than Rs. 1 lakh has been spent so far,” he said.While replying to the legislator, Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan assured that action will be taken against the “erring” officials.

Representatives from several other constituencies have raised the issue of scarce water in their areas.

Abdul Ahad, a commoner while talking to News Kashmir states- “ We the people from Downtown are facing thirsty Ramadan on account of lack of water supply which is giving rise to multiple problems as we all know that water is life. The concerned authorities should wake up and ensure quality and uninterrupted water supply to us.”

Undoubtedly, people throughout the valley are facing acute shortage of water which is making life more difficult especially in the fasting month of Ramadan.

News Kashmir Analysis

Violence has started to revisit the already turbulent valley of Kashmir. Series of acts of violence have followed one another indicating that the summer 2016 is going to be full of unrest in Kashmir valley. A glance at recent violent acts hint that graph of violence is running at a very high pace in Kashmir .

In the month of May several cops and militants were killed in attacks and encounters. June has witnessed much more deadly violence. A Jammu and Kashmir Police sub-inspector and a constable were killed on Saturday the 4th June when militants  attacked a police party in Anantnag district in a sensational attack .

Soon after this violent episode, the South Kashmir Bijbehra township was rocked by deadly attack   when  Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were killed in a militant  attack in Bijbehara .

 

As the details followed three jawans of Border Security Force (BSF) were killed and seven others were injured when their convoy was attacked by militants in Jammu and Kashmir’sBijbehara .Three civilians were also injured in the attack considered to be as a guerrilla attack on the security forces.

 

In a latest episode on 15th June , there were two grenade attacks by militants within a span of 10 minutes in Shopian district of Kashmir this evening, resulting in injuries to two civilians.

 

The first attack took place at 5.30 pm when militants threw a grenade at the police station building complex in Shopian town, a police official said.

 

The grenade exploded in the compound of the police station without causing any damage, he said.

 

In the second attack, the militants threw a grenade at Batapora chowk, about 200 metres away from the police station, resulting in injuries to two civilians.

 

The injured persons have been admitted to District Hospital for treatment, the official.

The chain of violent events has been witnessed in every region of Kashmir since past few months. Recently,  a  soldier was killed and at least four militants killed in an encounter in border area of North Kashmir  .

Lamenting these killings, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has some time back stated that such violent incidents hamper peace efforts between India and its neighbour.

“If we create a conducive atmosphere, only then will the two countries be able to talk. If incidents like this and Pathankot happen then Pakistan should also think about it. They (Pakistan) are fighting this menace in their country. They say they have affection for the people of Kashmir, but what sort of affection is this,” she asked.

Ajaz Ahmad, a political watcher states –“the periods of violence have hit the valley of Kashmir from time to time and it is this atmosphere of uncertainty that has kept the Kashmir under boil. We should understand that unsolved political issue of Kashmir is keeping the situation continuously volatile and turbulent. Confidence building measures with reference to solving political issue of Kashmir are need of the hour.”

Gauging the scale of violence of past few months in Kashmir the challenges for recently formed government of PDP BJP seem to be getting more tough and pronounced.

 

 

News Kashmir Exclusive

Brands and items represent a nation on global radar. Despite volatile situation Kashmir has been known for producing great crafts as Kashmiri Handicrafts holds a rich history of craftsmanship and the residents of this valley have skillfully nurtured their cultural heritage. But over the time fake products being sold in the name of Kashmiri handicrafts has ruined the image of Brand Kashmir. Even the recent controversy revolving around Khyber Milk ruined the reputation of Kashmir’s Corporate and branding sector. The Health and Medical Education Department, in its order No HD/Legal/Drug/MR-56/2016 dated 06-04-2016 had  ordered that no milk or milk product of the company be available for human consumption till these products are declared safe by a referral laboratory in Kolkata.

 

One cannot reflect on this issue without having a glance of golden legacy.Pandit Anand Koul, a noted writer giving an account of the development of these crafts writes, “Zain-ul-Abidin turned Kashmir into a smiling garden of industry inculcating in the hearts of the people sane conceptions of labour and life and also implanting in their minds the germs of real progress. He introduced correct measures and weights and made artisans and traders take solemn oaths (which in those halcyon days one could not easily break) not to kill their golden goose by cheating and swindling. He thus promoted commercial morality and integrity and industrial righteousness-qualities which constitute the backbone of a people’s credit and reputation. It was through these virtues that the Kashmiris successfully carried on shawl and other trades at a period when Kashmir was an isolated country and communications with outside world were very difficult.”

Lateef Ahmad , an expert voice states –“Handicrafts items fetch good foreign exchange revenue to the Jammu and Kashmir and over five lakh persons are engaged in handicrafts and handloom sectors the state. Painfully enough, the issue of fake craft products has been taken seriously by the government and only few solutions to this problem have also been proposed.

Expert voices have been demanding that GI registration of handicrafts has already helped many states. Tamil Nadu has the third largest number of registered GIs for handicrafts and handlooms after Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. According to these voices the need of hour is to bring more Kashmiri crafts under GI. Once GI registration is received for all major handicraft products, it will help to build up “brand Kashmir” of handicrafts across globe.

 

 

On the otherhand recent controversy in which the government has issued orders for implementing the judgment of Judicial Magistrate Budgam and ordered Controller Drug and Food Control Organisation to “remove milk and milk products manufactured by Khyber Agro Farms Private Limited ‘immediately’ has also raised many questions on the practices adopted by the corporate houses of Kashmir.”

Be it the issue of fake items sold in name of Kashmiri Handicrafts or the Khyber Milk controversy of recent times serious questions are being raised about business culture of Kashmir and amid all this Brand Kashmir is taking a hit.

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News Kashmir Exclusive

National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) to be also implemented in Jammu and Kashmir is not being received well especially by voices in Kashmir, as they feel it is against the overall interests of Kashmir.

Many a voices are openly stating that it is against JK’s special status . “NEET is against the interests of our students and clearly goes against the spirit and essence of J&K’s special status,”  the former Chief Minister Omer Abdullah  had said recently .

Khalid Tufail,an eminent activist States –

“PDP-BJP government are eroding status of Article 370.Nowadays, NEET crises are spreading all over Jammu Kashmir, as JK state is also bought under the ruling recently passed by Supreme Court, which states that only one entrance examination i.e, NEET (National Entrance Cum Eligibility Test) should be held all over India for MBBS, BDS and Post Graduation in medical education which will enable students to get admissions in various colleges of India. By this decision future of many aspiring doctors of our state is at stake. This sudden ruling passed by Supreme Court has destroyed dreams of many students who were eagerly waiting for JKCET. There is a lot of difference between JKCET pattern and NEET pattern. JK state should be exempted from NEET as education in JK is a state subject and JK enjoys a special status in India and presenting a petition by JK government in Supreme Court is only a step to erode Article 370 . From last 10 years , we are given false hopes that 10 medical colleges will be established but none is made till now and irony is that Government of India is now taking control over our medical colleges. One by one Jammu Kashmir state government is losing the control over the educational system of Jammu Kashmir, this is an attempt to convert JK into Palestine. JK government must take their stand to oppose this order. Now we have question to Minister of Higher Education Mr Naeem Akhtar , why is he silent over this issue? This ruling has created a state of confusion in many students as they don’t know what will be the fate of JKCET and what will happen to their future, why Mr Nayeem Akhtar is not clearing his stand on this thing? This time we have to stand for our students and evoke our special status so that we will not regret in future. Act now or never.”

 

 

On its part,  government has maintained that it took  an immediate action on National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) decision of the Supreme Court by filing a prompt application against the applicability of the order to the state.

“When the Supreme Court judgment came on April 28, the state government filed immediately, without delay and perhaps in record time, an application that the decision does not extend to the state as in Jammu and Kashmir education is a state subject. We pleaded the BOPEE exams have to be conducted as before in our case,” Minister for Education    Naeem Akthar stated.

For the moment, NEET has generated resentments in Kashmir.

News Kashmir Exclusive

In the garb of humanity many believe that the Special status of Jammu and Kashmir is being diluted .

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In this regard, a lot of resentment has been generated on the proposed move of the government of India’s plans of building structures for “homeless” in J&K under its ‘National Urban Livelihood Mission’. All pro-freedom Parties and some mainstream voices are also against this move.

Pertinently, few time back it was learnt that the government is planning to ‘temporarily’ accommodate homeless people, both state as well as non-state subjects, in shelter homes to be build across J&K with first such dwellings to come up in Jammu and Kupwara districts.

The project for which a high-level meeting chaired by Governor NN Vohra was conducted in January this year is currently being executed in Jammu and Kupwara at a cost of Rs 1.96 crore and Rs 1.75 crore respectively

While talking to News Kashmir Magazine, BJP Srinagar District President Fayaz Bhat stated – “ It is a temporary arrangement for homeless people as it is nothing what we call the permanent settlement .We need to take a humanistic outlook on this issue. However, anything that impacts the article 370 and its related features should  not be done.”

Commenting on this issue, AIP Supremo and MLA Langate Er Rasheed – “ This is a grave and issue of serious concern. I urge Government to come clean over reports of providing temporary shelter to non-state subjects and added that lakhs of such people are already here without any proper record or reason and we would like to warn the government that Kashmiris will not allow any such shelters for non-state subjects.”

Hurriyat (M) spokesperson government’s move to provide shelters to non- locals was fictitious as poor people do not stay on roads pavements or under bridges in Kashmir.

Hurriyat (M) spokesperson added there was no need to set up shelters for Kashmiris although people belonging to Kashmir keep on coming and going to different Indian states for different trades and businesses.

The J&K High Court Bar Association (HCBA)  has also  opposed the government decision to construct shelters for the non-locals under National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM), terming it another ‘conspiracy to change the J&K’s demography so as to reduce its Muslim majority character to minority’.

 

“The HCBA executive committee at its meeting held  stated that  the move shall affect and endanger the ongoing freedom struggle of people of Kashmir and their demand to give them their right of self-determination, therefore, the decision should be opposed tooth and nail by everyone,” a spokesman of Bar, in a statement  said, adding that “The decision is a part of the sinister design by RSS-BJP combine of settling non-state subjects in and around Srinagar Airport, for which even land was identified.”

 

On nutshell paradigm, experts and analysts opine that the new government will be advised not to stoke yet another controversy in the name of providing shelter to non-locals as the fire of unrest  that raged from the NIT controversy and Kupwara killings is yet to be doused fully .

News Kashmir Exclusive

Recently, the J&K government had blocked the internet services in  Kashmir following public protests over killings of five civilians allegedly in the Army firing in the North Kashmir District of Kupwara. All this generated anger, now in latest bizarre development and to avoid rumours spread via social media app WhatsApp groups during tension in the Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to make license compulsory to create a WhatsApp news group

The Jammu and Kashmir authorities have also  stated that they will take strict action against the admins of the WhatsApp groups for any wrong content forwarded.

According to latest government guideline, the administrators of WhatsApp news groups will have to get themselves registered with the government authorities within the next ten days to get a license. A circular issued by the Kashmir Divisional Commissioner, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, instructs users to first apply for a license to start WhatsApp news group.

All this has generated furor on both online and offline world. Idrees ul Haq, an activist states –  “Unfortunately , DM budgam through circular (DIPK-493) published in a local English daily on Thursday  page no. 13 has snatched Right to Liberty and Personal Freedom of Govt. Officials in point no. 4 by restraining govt. employees to comment /Remark with regard to the policies and decisions of Govt. on whats app groups running in Budgam District. This is really an autocratic step and shall be reverted ASAP…”

Muhammad Tauseef, an eminent activist and Netizen wrote on Facebook- “Congrats countrymen…So finally Kashmir is becoming ‘North Korea’. With the Government hell-bent to curb the freedom of expression of the masses, The state apparatus  is soon going to add yet another souvenir in their occupational hall of fame (read shame) i.e: curbing informal spaces and social-networks and probably making Kashmir the first place where FB pages and WhatsApp groups would need registration.

Anyways, it’s expected of them but what is unexpected is the sheer silence and docility that we (especially the civil society and intellectual classes) have exhibited over the same. It was heart-wrenching to discover my friends marching to DC office to confirm the formalities and fulfill the same.

Has our intellectual pursuit finally reduced to plagiarism, ideological hijacking and the number of likes and shares our decorated and garnished posts receive on FB and elsewhere….Should we really follow such diktats of the Government like dumb driven cattle or raise our voice to atleast defend our personal space on social-networks…

This scrutanisation started with giving vital family details to the police on the forms, followed by registration of FB and whatsApp groups will be followed by registration of marriages, Allah knows finally where this vicious chain will end and lead us to….”

Sane voices are also questioning that  under which authorities asks whatsap groups admins to get license. Direction are supposed to be issued under certain law by authorities.

While the orders are generated lot of resentment against state and authorities, it cannot be missed that Curbs on rumor mongers and facebook and twitter journalist’s is need of current times but we need some strict laws to be framed to ease media functioning.

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News Kashmir Exclusive

On 4th April, 2016 Mehbooba Mufti became the  first woman Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir.PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti was sworn in as the 13th chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Within just few days mammoth challenges have started to galore for the Mehbooba Mufti Lead Government. From the controversy of National Institute of Technology which arose from tensions between locals and non-locals after India’s defeat to Westindies in cricket and then allegations of police highhandedness over non local students has now translated into Non-local students leaving the Valley and protesting loudly at Delhi against the State Government.

Now in latest dramatic turnaround of events, after allegations of molestation on soldier at North Kashmir town of Handwara fierce clashes erupted. Nayeem Bhatt, a promising cricketer, 70-year-old Raja Begum and Mohammad Iqbal, 21, were killed in the firing by security forces. The very next day another man, who was allegedly part of  protesters in Kupwara, died after being hit on his head by a tear gas shell. Curfew and strict restrictions have followed as a reaction to curb the public anger and rage. On Thursday Mobile Internet services  were not available in Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts of the Valley.

To refute the allegation of molestation, the army released a video of the girl’s statement yesterday. In it, she does not talk about molestation by any soldier but says a boy grabbed her bag, pulled her and abused her when she went to the washroom after school on Tuesday.

Pertinently, to control the damage Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has met the Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, at Delhi and discussed with him the unfortunate firing incident at Handwara  in which three civilians, including a woman, were killed.

 

During the meeting, the Chief Minister called for a time-bound enquiry into the incident so that those responsible for the deaths are handed exemplary punishment. This, she said, will act as a deterrent against such incidents in future.

Mehbooba Mufti said such incidents shake the confidence of the people and adversely impact the efforts of the State government in consolidating peace dividends.

Talking to News Kashmir, Faizaan Bhat, a  young Columnist states -“Governing Kashmir is not a cakewalk. Doing opposition would have been easy for Mehbooba Mufti but now with assuming the reins of power, it is much difficult task ahead . Within few days a series of serious challenges have encircled Mehbooba Mufti Lead Government. The NIT rage and controversy is refusing to die down. The Handwara killings have added fuel to the fire .The killings of innocents is in no way going to make matters easy for Mehbooba Mufti. The harsh  treatment meted out to Kashmiri students outside valley is another serious matter. All in all Mehbooba has assumed the charge of throne which is full of challenges.”

 

Undoubtedly, just within one week the government of first ever women Chief Minister  of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti has witnessed a series of burning problems and tense matters. The road ahead is likely going to be  full of challenges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ashis Nandy   is an eminent Intellectual and Indian political psychologist, social theorist, and critic. A trained clinical psychologist, Nandy has provided theoretical critiques of European colonialism, development, modernity, secularism, Hindutva, science, technology, nuclearism, cosmopolitanism, and utopia. He has also offered alternative conceptions relating to cosmopolitanism and critical traditionalism. In addition to the above, Nandy has offered an original historical profile of India’s commercial cinema as well as critiques of state and violence.

 

 

Nandy had received the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in 2007.In 2008 he appeared on the list of the Top 100 Public Intellectuals Poll of the Foreign Policy magazine, published by The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

In an Exclusive interview with The News Kashmir Professor Ashish Nandy talks to Rameez Makhdoomi.

Where you always inclined to be polymath?
I did not knew that I would be one day termed as polymath. I do not believe in categorization .I have never defined myself .I was ex student of science and then I left it after some years, than studied clinical psychology as my post doctoral  research focused on it and was  also trained as sociologist .
Any specific motivation towards it?
I have always believed in maintaining margins and not been absolutely attached with one field .
Strictly speaking, I do not belong to single field and have enjoyed this marginal status. I have thus got freedom from traditional standard vocabulary.
How do you view the Jammu and Kashmir on academic traditions?
Jammu and Kashmir has a distinct intellectual tradition. The suffering has harnessed the intellectual tradition of Kashmir which cannot come in normal novels and circumstances.
What are your focus areas ?
I have few concerns and in a precise manner two focal areas of interest -one is the human creativity and other is human destructiveness because that too has been part of human nature.
How much relevant are Gandhian thoughts in present era?
Gandhian values are very much relevant in present era as globe is witnessing a bad cycle of violence and anger. A lot of this violence does not have target as violence precedes the target.
Would be fair to state that research related paradigms are still unimpressive in India?
Oh yes definitely. The research related paradigms are yet to relate with the actual problems faced by our societies. The main thrust is just to get good status via research which is cause of serious concern.
Any specific interest to have book on Jammu and Kashmir?
I do not have much knowledge to pen down a book on the issues of Jammu and Kashmir. Although, I comment on the issues faced by JandK.
What is your message to youth especially those pursuing  research?
Suspect everything as exercise of informed suspicion is the path towards intellectual salvation. Only divine beings can be perfect, human beings have laid foundation of nothing perfect be it nation States, democracy  or systems  .Do not Trust even your work because as human beings we carry the burden of humanity.

News Kashmir Exclusive

 

When the former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Passed away many had thought that new government formation in Jammu and Kashmir is matter of few days or hours, but as PDP took rigid stance the hopes faded away.

PDP made it clear that they want concrete Confidence building Measures to form the Government with BJP and even gave signals that it is ready for fresh elections rather than compromising on its core values.

But as now the picture is clear that PDP chief and prominent women politician Mehbooba Mufti is all set to become the first woman chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir after being unanimously nominated as party’s legislature party leader in a meeting of PDP legislators and leaders at  her residence in Srinagar, Thursday 24th March, many believe that after these months of political negotiations with BJP the  PDP has given impression that it has been ‘much ado about nothing’.

Pertinently, even in the first week of February and also few days back it looked PDP and BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir is on the verge of collapse. On their Part, BJP sources suggested that to maintain the core support base intact in Jammu they are not ready to compromise or listen to dictations .

PDP on its part stated that they need time bound commitment on completion of projects and agenda of alliance that walks the talk. “Mehbooba Mufti wants assurances from the top BJP leadership. The two parties are ideologically very different, so PDP wants time-bound implementation of agenda of alliance. The assurances must come from the very top,” said a senior leader of the PDP just some days back.

Mohmammad Tauseef, a Political analyst , while talking to News Kashmir stated -“If we do serious Political Analysis of the situation, the question that arises why three precious months were wasted for government formation as nothing new has come out. The government being formed is setup on the base of old formula with no new approach coming up .The perception that has gone among the masses is that PDP has not been able to gain anything despite this long delay in the Government formation .PDP  grasroot workers would also be thinking that this long interval has brought them back to square one .It would be now interesting to more how the Government runs but the path to governance would be now more stiff and beset with challenges.”

On the otherhand,” a senior BJP leader had sometime back stated –“There will be no further assurances given to PDP. The state government is committed to work for the development of all three regions of the state, which include Jammu, Kashmir and Leh. One party alone cannot dictate terms. We are in touch with the senior leaders of PDP and the regional party has to decide.”

From ground zero opinion to analysis  by political analysts the marathon wait for the Government in Jammu and Kashmir seems to have yielded nothing to PDP in terms of gaining upper hand or anything that can be dubbed as concrete.

News Kashmir Exclusive

Drainage systems are key areas of development and contribute to sustainable development  of city and  balance the diverse issues that influence the development of communities. An efficient drainage system has to take into account many realities. Approaches to manage surface water that take account of water quantity (flooding), water quality (pollution) and amenity issues are collectively referred to as Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).

Kashmir Valley has over the decades seen its drainage system going from bad to worse. Few hours of rain are enough to waterlog and flood the streets of Srinagar city and other areas of Kashmir. Thanks to inefficient drainage system Kashmir gets converted into a cesspool of mud and water as soon as it rains . The drains start  overflowing with just few millimeters of rains . Be it heart of Srinagar the areas like  Maisuma, Regal chowk, MA Road or Old City areas of Nowhatta and Khanyar  and many other parts the drainage system fails immediately  . On the other hand, scores of areas have no drainage system  in place. The low lying areas are the worst hit where residents state that  slight shower blocked flow of water and as streets gets choked they are restricted to homes.

Importantly, the devastating floods that shattered Kashmir Valley in 2014 had caused much damage to its fragile drainage system but no noticeable efforts have been made to repair the same. No new drainage project had been started in the last few years which are complicating the matters further.

Sheikh Sameer, a teacher by profession, while commenting on this issue states-“The drainage system of entire Kashmir Valley presents an abject outlook. During this current rain-spell it has been badly exposed, with water logging and Jamming almost entire Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley. There are many illegal structures – few of them even inside the flood spill channels. Many government offices have come inside or near those channels. They have been choked leaving a little room for water to discharge. Unfortunately enough, our world famous  lakes have  slowly migrated from the status of being a fresh water lakes to becoming a part of drainage system where they have  become a recipient of all the discharges from households to industrial effluents without these wastes actually being checked by  any filtering systems. We are witness  to the fact that government is sleeping over the issue. Pertinently,  Illegal encroachment are  still going on rather intensified after September 2014 floods and no initiative have been taken  to take them task. In the majority of the areas of Kashmir the drainage system has failed miserably . It is important that all drainage systems are properly maintained and at  regular intervals .Government need to outsource this entire Drainage and flood management system as the current setup is failing to achieve any concrete result on this count.”

As a matter of great worry, our existing  drainage systems  causes grave problems of flooding, pollution or damage to the environment and are not proving to be sustainable in the context of wider challenges from climate change and urbanization, and current drainage system   is virtually in mess   .