Admin on toes as water level rises in Yamuna in GB Nagar

Noida

Noida

HT Image

Gautam Budh Nagar district is on a flood alert with the water level of the Yamuna rising continuously after heavy rain in catchment areas.

The administration has issued flood advisories in villages situated on the banks of the Yamuna and Hindon rivers in the district. Nearby Delhi is also on alert and people have been shifted to safer places from the floodplains.

Haryana had released over 8.28 lakh cusecs of water from the Hathni Kund Barrage in Yamuna Nagar district on Sunday evening. Around 92,000 cusecs water was released from the Okhla barrage by Tuesday evening.

Water released from Hathni Kund is expected to reach early Wednesday.

“The water level has been continuously increasing and people living near the banks have been told to be on alert. We have made arrangements at primary schools for people to move if they face any trouble because of the high water levels,” said MN Upadhayay, Additional District Magistrate, Finance.

Around 45 people from 15 families and a few animals were shifted in Tilwada village after the water level rose. “These families were involved in growing parwal (pointed gourd) and were living in huts on the banks. They were asked to move to higher areas as a precautionary measure but they had refused initially. They are all natives of different districts of Uttar Pradesh. After the water level rose, a few people were shifted with the help of boats while a few went across the river towards Faridabad,” Upadhayay said.

The administration and the irrigation department informed villagers to be on alert till Wednesday evening as the water is expected to reach by 12 pm on Wednesday. Villagers have been asked to move towards higher ground if they see the Yamuna’s water level rising.

Villages near the Hindon have been alerted as there is a backflow in the river. “Hindon is flowing back, following which villagers have been asked to be watchful.

The administration has set up 12 flood posts in the district along with control rooms in Greater Noida and Noida. The district flood task force held a meeting with all officials to take stock of preparedness.

Villages such as Kambakshpur, Yakubpur, Momnathal and Safipur are on high alert. These villages are more prone to flood-like situations as they are on the banks of the Yamuna.

“We are working with local bodies to ensure no villager faces trouble. With the administration’s help, we shifted a few families who were on the other side for farming purposes. These people were brought with the help of boats. We all keeping a close eye on the water level,” said Dhirendra Singh, MLA, Jewar.

All Lekhpals, panchayats, gram sabhas, SDMs, officials from the irrigation department and local bodies are on the alert.

“We sent a national disaster response force to check if anybody was left behind at the spot from where a few people were rescued in Tilwada,” the ADM said.