Gautam Budh Nagar DM inspects flood-hit areas at Hindon river banks

The water level of the Hindon River fell slightly on Tuesday and was recorded at 201.10 metres, down from 201.15 metres on Monday

Manish Verma, the district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, reviewed the situation in flood-affected areas near the Hindon river banks on Tuesday and issued necessary guidelines to officials and the general public.

GB Nagar DM Manish Verma inspects flood-affected areas on the banks of the Hindon River on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

Verma said that the inspections were carried out in the affected places to assess the situation at ground zero. The DM also inspected the district administration’s makeshift shelter homes.

According to officials from the Uttar Pradesh irrigation department, the water level of the Hindon River fell slightly on Tuesday and was recorded at 201.10 metres, down from 201.15 metres on Monday.

Vehicles get submerged in a flooded parking area, near Ecotech 3, in Greater Noida on Tuesday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

“We conducted inspections of a few flood-hit areas close to Hindon banks to take stock of the situation. Flood-related instructions have been issued, and nodal officers have been deputed in the areas with instructions to keep a close eye on the situation so that adequate arrangements can be made in time,” said Verma.

The DM and other district administration officials also went to a few shelter homes where displaced people stay. “Shelter homes in Chhajarsi, Chotpur, and Haibatpur were also inspected to review arrangements and solicit feedback from inmates. We have been ensuring that people in the makeshift homes have access to clean drinking water, food and medication,” DM Verma added.

Since the water level in the Hindon River rose, the district administration has been conducting rescue and relief operations as low-lying villages have been flooded. On Monday, authorities successfully evacuated 602 people and 430 animals trapped in the low-lying villages of Dadri, Jewar and Sadar.

Water from the Yamuna enters fields and houses near Sector 135 in Noida on Tuesday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The DM was joined by the deputy commissioner of police (central Noida), Anil Kumar Yadav, and other district and administrative officials in the inspection.

An area near the Hindon in Suthiyana village, Khadar, under Ecotech 3 police jurisdiction, which is being used as a dump yard by its owner, with several vehicles parked there, was discovered wholly submerged.

On Tuesday, a video of the submerged parking space with approximately 350 vehicles parked went viral on social media. District administration officials said that the space was used for parking vehicles for several years and that despite repeated warnings (as it is not suitable for commercial or residential purposes), the area has not been vacated.

Atul Kumar, ADM (finance), Gautam Budh Nagar, said, “The area is low-lying and unsuitable for residential or commercial use. The location’s caretaker was contacted several times in the past and warned about the guidelines, but no heed was paid.” The Gautam Budh Nagar police said that most of the cars belong to a cab aggregator. In contrast, others are recovery vehicles whose owners could not pay EMIs during the Covid period.

Rain respite from heat

Meanwhile, parts of Gautam Budh Nagar district received moderate rainfall on Tuesday afternoon, providing some respite from the district’s hot and humid climate for the past few weeks.

Dark clouds above Gautam Budh Nagar near Sector 137 on Tuesday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the minimum temperature was 28.8 degrees Celsius (°C), and the maximum was 35.3°C. According to IMD, similar weather conditions are expected to persist until July 30.

IMD has forecast similar weather conditions in the district, with light-moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms on July 26, 27 and 28, and moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, and light rains on July 29 and 30.

“It rained slightly here during the afternoon and brought some relief from the humid weather. We are hoping that the humidity will decrease and that the weather will remain cool in the coming days,” said Anshu Verma, a resident of Sector 1, Greater Noida.

Umang Khanna, a Greater Noida West resident, said that while it did not rain in his area, there was no sunlight during the day. “The weather here has been cloudy since the morning, and the air has been slightly cooler than in previous days. It was much better because we had been using the air-conditioner at home all day, but we didn’t feel the need today because the weather had slightly improved,” said Khanna.