Jammu, Feb 3:
In a scathing indictment of recent urban planning, environmental groups in Jammu issued a stark warning on Tuesday, linking the devastating 2025 Jammu floods to “unscientific river engineering” and the systematic destruction of the city’s natural defenses.
Activists from the Friends of Raika Forest and Friends of River Tawi movements claim that the city’s future is being sacrificed for profit-centric real estate projects, leaving residents vulnerable to both drowning and toxic air.
The Tawi ‘Death Trap’: Narrowing and Blockages
The press release highlights a critical geographical alteration: under the Artificial Lake and Riverfront Development project, the Tawi River has been artificially narrowed by nearly 100 meters.
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Reduced Capacity: By shrinking the riverbed to make room for commercial real estate, the natural flood-carrying capacity has been decimated.
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The 2025 Disaster: Activists point out that the 2025 floods reached areas never before submerged. This was caused by the Tawi Barrage obstructing natural flow, causing heavy silting that raised the riverbed and forced stormwater drains to reverse, pumping river water directly into city homes.
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Pollution Paradox: Despite “boating trials” being launched recently, 17 sewage drains continue to discharge directly into the lake, leaving the water quality severely degraded.
Raika Forest: The Stolen ‘Lungs’ of Jammu
The warning extends to the Raika Forest, often called the “Lungs of Jammu.” Following the re-publication of a fencing tender in December 2025 for a new High Court complex, activists are sounding the alarm.
“Raika is a critical watershed for the River Tawi. If you destroy the forest, you destroy the river’s ability to manage rainfall. We are turning a natural sponge into a concrete heat island.” — Anmol Ohri, Climate Front Jammu
Public Astonishment and Legal Action
On January 29, activists took to the streets, distributing pamphlets at the Jammu High Court and the new Riverfront boating site. They reported that citizens were “astonished” to learn about the ecological cost of these projects.
The groups have now officially escalated the matter:
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JKEIAA & JKEAC: Letters have been sent raising scientific and legal questions regarding the impact of these projects on the 2025 floods.
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National Green Tribunal (NGT): A Suo-Moto case regarding the Tawi projects has been ongoing since June 2024.
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Future Litigation: The organizers pledged to approach the courts in the coming weeks to halt further ecological destruction.
A Call for Scientific Sensitivity
The activists termed the launch of “free boating trials” just six months after the city was submerged under 10–20 feet of water as “insensitive.” They noted the irony of using SDRF rescue boats for leisure when those same boats struggled to reach trapped residents during the peak of the disaster.
Organized By:
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Anmol Ohri (Friends of Raika Forest / Climate Front Jammu)
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Bhushan Parimoo (Friends of River Tawi / Environment Awareness Forum)
