Yamuna level rises, Delhi on alert
22nd September 2008
With the water level in Yamuna rising alarmingly, the Delhi Government has asked people living on the river bed to evacuate their homes.
The water-level in the river on Sunday touched 204.60 metres, just 23 cm away from the danger mark, as Haryana released nearly four lakh cusecs of water into the river, forcing officials to take precautionary measures to tackle the "alarming situation".
The Central Water Commission has warned that there was a likelihood of the water in Yamuna reaching to 205.80 metres.
Expecting that the situation will get more serious, people staying in slums on the Yamuna bed have been asked to evacuate and shift to 400 tents set-up at seven places in Madanpur Khadar, Near Batla House, Chila Khadar, East ISBT bridge, Shastri Park Metro station, Usmanpur village and Garhi-Mandu, officials said.
The department has also issued warnings to all major nodal departments like the police, Delhi Jal Board, MCD, PWD, and the irrigation departments about the rise is water level which is expected to rise to an alarming 205.8.
The engineers of the flood control department are on patrol on both the banks of Yamuna to report any breach.
Even though there is no possibility of any flood and the situation is said to be under control, the department is making announcements through boats and loudspeaker-fitted autos asking people to shift to tents.
The DPOs of the respected districts have been made in-charges for the camps and they are being helped by volunteers of civil defence, they said.
Source: The Times of India