Patna: North Bihar faces the prospect of a severe flood with the turbulent waters of the Gandak putting a huge strain on the Saran embankment near Simaria village in Gopalganj district.
State Water Resources and Disaster Management authorities told The Hindu on Wednesday that the embankment was in an “extremely critical condition” and “could cave in any moment” owing to pressure created by rising water levels of the Gandak due to discharge from Nepal.
“The Gandak has been steadily eroding the 500-metre stretch of the embankment in Gopalganj's Barauli block for the past four days…the situation is indeed grim,” State Water Resources Department Principal Secretary Ajay Naik said from Gopalganj.
Alarmed at the prospect of a destructive deluge, villagers from at least 10 villages in and around Simaria have begun leaving their homes since Monday, with their livestock and valuables in tow.
The State Government sounded a high alert on Monday as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held an emergency meeting with the Chief Secretary and authorities from the disaster management, water resources and road construction departments and directed operations on a war footing.
While disaster management authorities refused to confirm the number of villages which might be afflicted in the event of an embankment “cave-in”, reports placed the number at a possible 200 in 7-8 panchayats in and around Barauli block.
Special Secretary (Disaster Management) Satyendra informed that rescue operations were under way with five National Disaster Response Force teams, including one from Orissa, being rushed to the spot of the possible breach.
Authorities said motor-boats for patrolling and guiding rescue operations were being deployed, while National Highway 28 near Gopalganj is under a strict vigil.
Yamuna level likely to decline (Hindu 16 September 2010)
The water in the Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark on Wednesday and at 5 p.m. the level was 205.78 metres. Officials said the level would rise a little at night but start decreasing by Thursday morning.
An Irrigation and Flood Control Department official said the water level will remain largely constant for sometime before rising again to 205.82 metres.
Relief expected
“There will be a slow decrease in the level initially, but from Friday onwards we expect more relief. The river will climb down from the present levels in another 48 hours unless there is more rain in the catchment areas and more discharge from Haryana,” the official said.
The official said the maximum discharge of water from Haryana's Hathni Kund barrage on Wednesday was around 53,000 cusecs.Experts said the 2,65,000 cusecs of water released into the river has led to the rise in the level, but is not likely to create a flood-like situation
Friday, September 17, 2010
Losing the way (Indian Express 16 September 2010)
While the Yamuna Expressway is back on track after last month’s farmer agitation near Aligarh, the fate of the more ambitious Ganga Expressway project of the UP government hangs in the balance. The Expressway, which envisages linking Balia in the east with Greater Noida on Delhi’s doorstep in the west, remains stuck since Chief Minister Mayawati had unveiled it on January 15, 2008, her 52nd birthday.
Mayawati had then announced that the around 1,047-km, eight-lane access-controlled expressway, which would halve the travel time on the route, cutting it down to 10 hours, would be completed in four years. However, despite the grand announcements the only sign on the ground is a foundation stone standing amidst agricultural land in Maldevpur village of Balia. Let alone work on the project, even land acquisition for it is yet to begin.
Asked about the status of the project, an official said, “After the Allahabad High Court quashed the initial environmental clearance in May last year, the Jaypee group submitted a fresh application for obtaining the environmental clearance for the expressway on July 31, 2009, and for the attached land parcels on August 20, 2009. All we know is that the clearances have not yet been given by the Union Government.”
The Ganga Expressway is the largest infrastructure project to be conceived under the public-private partnership model in the country; the Yamuna Expressway a mere 165 kilometre compared to this 1,047 km stretch. It was awarded to the Jaypee Ganga Infrastructure Corporation Limited by the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority on March 23, 2008 after getting initial environmental clearance on August 23, 2007.
The court ordered stoppage of work and directed the government not to proceed with the project until environmental clearance was obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The Jaypee group was given 12,000 hectare land at Bulandshahar, Kanshiramnagar, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Varanasi and Mirzapur which the Jaypee Group had been given on 90-years lease for development of residential colonies, entertainment facilities, hospitals, colleges etc. By comparison, the group had got merely 2,500 hectares along the Yamuna Expressway.
Incidently, several petitions were filed against the Yamuna expressway also, but the High Court had rejected them all. “The cases of Ganga Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway are different. There, the farmers were ready to give land but wanted higher compensation. In the case of the Ganga Expressway, there are doubts over the feasibility of the project and the way it would impact the Ganga, its natural flow and pollution level”, said Jitendra Singh of the Ganga Mahasabha.
The court ordered stoppage of work and directed the government not to proceed with the project until environmental clearance was obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The Jaypee group was given 12,000 hectare land at Bulandshahar, Kanshiramnagar, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Varanasi and Mirzapur which the Jaypee Group had been given on 90-years lease for development of residential colonies, entertainment facilities, hospitals, colleges etc. By comparison, the group had got merely 2,500 hectares along the Yamuna Expressway.
Incidently, several petitions were filed against the Yamuna expressway also, but the High Court had rejected them all. “The cases of Ganga Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway are different. There, the farmers were ready to give land but wanted higher compensation. In the case of the Ganga Expressway, there are doubts over the feasibility of the project and the way it would impact the Ganga, its natural flow and pollution level”, said Jitendra Singh of the Ganga Mahasabha.
Mayawati had then announced that the around 1,047-km, eight-lane access-controlled expressway, which would halve the travel time on the route, cutting it down to 10 hours, would be completed in four years. However, despite the grand announcements the only sign on the ground is a foundation stone standing amidst agricultural land in Maldevpur village of Balia. Let alone work on the project, even land acquisition for it is yet to begin.
Asked about the status of the project, an official said, “After the Allahabad High Court quashed the initial environmental clearance in May last year, the Jaypee group submitted a fresh application for obtaining the environmental clearance for the expressway on July 31, 2009, and for the attached land parcels on August 20, 2009. All we know is that the clearances have not yet been given by the Union Government.”
The Ganga Expressway is the largest infrastructure project to be conceived under the public-private partnership model in the country; the Yamuna Expressway a mere 165 kilometre compared to this 1,047 km stretch. It was awarded to the Jaypee Ganga Infrastructure Corporation Limited by the UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority on March 23, 2008 after getting initial environmental clearance on August 23, 2007.
The court ordered stoppage of work and directed the government not to proceed with the project until environmental clearance was obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The Jaypee group was given 12,000 hectare land at Bulandshahar, Kanshiramnagar, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Varanasi and Mirzapur which the Jaypee Group had been given on 90-years lease for development of residential colonies, entertainment facilities, hospitals, colleges etc. By comparison, the group had got merely 2,500 hectares along the Yamuna Expressway.
Incidently, several petitions were filed against the Yamuna expressway also, but the High Court had rejected them all. “The cases of Ganga Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway are different. There, the farmers were ready to give land but wanted higher compensation. In the case of the Ganga Expressway, there are doubts over the feasibility of the project and the way it would impact the Ganga, its natural flow and pollution level”, said Jitendra Singh of the Ganga Mahasabha.
The court ordered stoppage of work and directed the government not to proceed with the project until environmental clearance was obtained in accordance with the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
The Jaypee group was given 12,000 hectare land at Bulandshahar, Kanshiramnagar, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Varanasi and Mirzapur which the Jaypee Group had been given on 90-years lease for development of residential colonies, entertainment facilities, hospitals, colleges etc. By comparison, the group had got merely 2,500 hectares along the Yamuna Expressway.
Incidently, several petitions were filed against the Yamuna expressway also, but the High Court had rejected them all. “The cases of Ganga Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway are different. There, the farmers were ready to give land but wanted higher compensation. In the case of the Ganga Expressway, there are doubts over the feasibility of the project and the way it would impact the Ganga, its natural flow and pollution level”, said Jitendra Singh of the Ganga Mahasabha.
15 to 20 per cent chance of rain during Games (Hindu 15 September 2010)
MONSOON MAGIC:The Yamuma flows near the Taj Mahal in Agra again. - PHOTO: PTI
NEW DELHI: It is now official. The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday confirmed that there was a reasonable possibility of rains during the coming Commonwealth Games.
Addressing a press conference, IMD Director-General Ajit Tyagi said an analysis of the weather data for the past 110 years showed that there was a 15 to 20 per cent chance of rains during the first half of October: the Games are scheduled to be held from October 3 to 14.
The analysis also shows that Delhi, on an average, had two rainy days during the entire month of October over the past 110 years and that average rainfall for the month was 25.8 mm, with the larger share of it — 22.4 mm falling in the first fortnight.
The analysis further showed that a rainfall of 20 to 40 mm was “not common” during October: the highest 24-hour rain for the month occurred in 1954 — on October 1 that year the city had received a whopping 172.7 mm of rainfall.
The analysis also showed that though thundershowers are not very common during the first fortnight of October, the period was also not totally devoid of these.
During the past 30 years alone, a total of 23 thunderstorms had occurred in the first fortnight of October. Of these, 12 had occurred between October 1 and 5, six between October 6 and 10 and the balance five between October 11 and 15. About 43 per cent of the thundershowers had occurred between afternoon and late evening [3 p.m. to 9 p.m.], with a “secondary maxima'' observed in the early morning hours [3a.m. to 6 a.m.].
Asked as to what was expected this year, Mr. Tyagi declined to make any forecast, on the ground that it was too early for any prediction.
He would only say that the south-west monsoon was likely to withdraw before the Games begin. “Indications are that it is likely to start withdrawing by the end of the month — around September 28 plus or minus three to four days.”
He also indicated that in the meantime there could be a fresh spell of rains over Delhi and other parts of north-west India from September 18 to 21.
Mr. Tyagi announced that the IMD would provide venue-specific nowcasts or very short range forecasts for up to six hours during the Games. The forecasts would be able to provide information on the possibility of any severe weather phenomenon at a very high spatial resolution. The nowcasts would be updated every three hours.
In addition, short range forecasts for up to three days would be provided and these would be updated twice a day. Further, a medium range forecast for up to five days would be issued for Delhi and its neighbourhood.
He also announced that a detailed guide on the climatological analysis for the past 110 years would be released by Union Minister for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan on September 23 for the benefit of sportspersons.
Apart from the long-term trend with regard to rains and thunderstorms, the guide would provide details on aspects such as wind speed and direction, relative humidity, which would help the sportspersons plan out their strategies.
Replying to a question, Mr. Tyagi ruled out any plan to undertake cloud seeding or any other such procedure to try and prevent rains during the games, even if there were sure signs of an impending downpour.
NEW DELHI: It is now official. The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday confirmed that there was a reasonable possibility of rains during the coming Commonwealth Games.
Addressing a press conference, IMD Director-General Ajit Tyagi said an analysis of the weather data for the past 110 years showed that there was a 15 to 20 per cent chance of rains during the first half of October: the Games are scheduled to be held from October 3 to 14.
The analysis also shows that Delhi, on an average, had two rainy days during the entire month of October over the past 110 years and that average rainfall for the month was 25.8 mm, with the larger share of it — 22.4 mm falling in the first fortnight.
The analysis further showed that a rainfall of 20 to 40 mm was “not common” during October: the highest 24-hour rain for the month occurred in 1954 — on October 1 that year the city had received a whopping 172.7 mm of rainfall.
The analysis also showed that though thundershowers are not very common during the first fortnight of October, the period was also not totally devoid of these.
During the past 30 years alone, a total of 23 thunderstorms had occurred in the first fortnight of October. Of these, 12 had occurred between October 1 and 5, six between October 6 and 10 and the balance five between October 11 and 15. About 43 per cent of the thundershowers had occurred between afternoon and late evening [3 p.m. to 9 p.m.], with a “secondary maxima'' observed in the early morning hours [3a.m. to 6 a.m.].
Asked as to what was expected this year, Mr. Tyagi declined to make any forecast, on the ground that it was too early for any prediction.
He would only say that the south-west monsoon was likely to withdraw before the Games begin. “Indications are that it is likely to start withdrawing by the end of the month — around September 28 plus or minus three to four days.”
He also indicated that in the meantime there could be a fresh spell of rains over Delhi and other parts of north-west India from September 18 to 21.
Mr. Tyagi announced that the IMD would provide venue-specific nowcasts or very short range forecasts for up to six hours during the Games. The forecasts would be able to provide information on the possibility of any severe weather phenomenon at a very high spatial resolution. The nowcasts would be updated every three hours.
In addition, short range forecasts for up to three days would be provided and these would be updated twice a day. Further, a medium range forecast for up to five days would be issued for Delhi and its neighbourhood.
He also announced that a detailed guide on the climatological analysis for the past 110 years would be released by Union Minister for Science and Technology Prithviraj Chavan on September 23 for the benefit of sportspersons.
Apart from the long-term trend with regard to rains and thunderstorms, the guide would provide details on aspects such as wind speed and direction, relative humidity, which would help the sportspersons plan out their strategies.
Replying to a question, Mr. Tyagi ruled out any plan to undertake cloud seeding or any other such procedure to try and prevent rains during the games, even if there were sure signs of an impending downpour.
Yamuna still above danger mark, but situation improves (Hindu 14 September 2010)
NEW DELHI: Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark today although the flood-like situation in several low-lying areas along the river improved significantly. "The water level which had come down to 205.45 metres last night has again risen to 205.53 metres this evening which is 70 cm above the danger mark of 204.83 metres," said an official of the flood control department. He said the water level may go up further as 2.5 lakh cusec water released by Haryana into the Yamuna is expected to reach Delhi by tomorrow. The neighbouring state has released nearly one lakh cusec water today. The neighbouring state has already released over 11 lakh cusec water into Yamuna in the last six days resulting in the rise in its level. The water level had touched 206.78 metres on Saturday evening. Though the water level has come down, nearly 4000 people from low-lying areas near the river are still staying in several relief camps set up by Delhi Government. The official said authorities have requested people living in the relief camps to go back to their homes as and when the situation returns to normal in their areas. The rising river had flooded several localities of east Delhi including Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur Pusta, Jagatpur Village and Shastri Nagar. Flood water had also entered areas like Yamuna Vihar, Madanpur, Sonia Vihar, Nigambodh, Jaitpur, Tibet Market and Yamuna Bazar. "The situation has improved significantly in these areas," said the official.
Raj relic: Civic body stumbles on unknown sewer network (Indian Express 14 September 2010)
While most of Edwin Lutyens’ architectural masterpieces like the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Parliament House are there for all to see, some of the engineering feats he and his engineers accomplished are now slowly coming to light.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) discovered one such relic, when it started digging up Connaught Place for new subways. While digging the outer circle, they discovered a British-era drainage system till then unknown to the civic agency. It was an elaborate double barrel sewerage network made of bricks to drain sewage and rain water out of what was then the city’s main shopping area. Each barrel has a dimension of 6x3 feet.
The double barrel network were built in 1932, but the NDMC could not find any blueprint of the network in its archives. “The barrels surrounded the entire Outer Circle. There were two types of barrels—one for sewage and one for other drainage,” said NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari.
NDMC workers stumbled upon the double barrel system when they started digging for eight subways in the Outer Circle to make the commercial hub more pedestrian friendly. They found the barrels everywhere they dug and work had to be stalled. Work on the subways had begun on December 25 and was to be completed in eight months, by August.
“Even though we searched our archives, we could not find any reference to its existence. We did not know where they led to. We just did not know what to do with it at first,” said a senior official of NDMC. Finally, the barrels were diverted and work restarted on the subways.
But this delay means only three existing subways will be ready before the Commonwealth Games. Another reason for the delay has been NDMC’s decision to start work on all eight subways together. When the Traffic Police objected, saying the work was causing traffic jams, work on all the subways had to be stopped.
“Even though the barrels are old, they have not been abandoned as they are still in working condition. We have not removed them yet as the work on the subways has been stopped. Once it begins again, we will divert them at the points where the subways will obstruct their flow,” he said. The civic agency is giving finishing touches to the three subways.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) discovered one such relic, when it started digging up Connaught Place for new subways. While digging the outer circle, they discovered a British-era drainage system till then unknown to the civic agency. It was an elaborate double barrel sewerage network made of bricks to drain sewage and rain water out of what was then the city’s main shopping area. Each barrel has a dimension of 6x3 feet.
The double barrel network were built in 1932, but the NDMC could not find any blueprint of the network in its archives. “The barrels surrounded the entire Outer Circle. There were two types of barrels—one for sewage and one for other drainage,” said NDMC spokesperson Anand Tiwari.
NDMC workers stumbled upon the double barrel system when they started digging for eight subways in the Outer Circle to make the commercial hub more pedestrian friendly. They found the barrels everywhere they dug and work had to be stalled. Work on the subways had begun on December 25 and was to be completed in eight months, by August.
“Even though we searched our archives, we could not find any reference to its existence. We did not know where they led to. We just did not know what to do with it at first,” said a senior official of NDMC. Finally, the barrels were diverted and work restarted on the subways.
But this delay means only three existing subways will be ready before the Commonwealth Games. Another reason for the delay has been NDMC’s decision to start work on all eight subways together. When the Traffic Police objected, saying the work was causing traffic jams, work on all the subways had to be stopped.
“Even though the barrels are old, they have not been abandoned as they are still in working condition. We have not removed them yet as the work on the subways has been stopped. Once it begins again, we will divert them at the points where the subways will obstruct their flow,” he said. The civic agency is giving finishing touches to the three subways.
‘Normal’ floods blessing for Kaziranga (Indian Express 14 September 2010)
Even as the rising water-level of the Brahmaputra entered and inundated vast portions of the 840-sq km Kaziranga National Park in Assam in the past four days, for the authorities it has come as a blessing. A “normal” flood in the area helps clear huge quantity of debris from inside the Park.
“About 60 per cent of the Park area was inundated, forcing the animals to either take shelter in the highlands or cross the national highway to seek refuge in the lower ranges of the Karbi Anglong hills. But with the water beginning to recede since Sunday evening, nature is only helping us clear huge quantity of debris from inside it,” Surajit Dutta, director of the Park said.
The water level has receded by about 10 centimetres since Sunday evening, and with the Brahmaputra water level also slightly falling in Dibrugarh and Jorhat upstream of Kaziranga, the National Park is expected to register further fall in the flood level.
“Kaziranga being a major natural hatchery for fish, requires floods to distribute the fish across the Brahmaputra,” Dutta added.
“About 60 per cent of the Park area was inundated, forcing the animals to either take shelter in the highlands or cross the national highway to seek refuge in the lower ranges of the Karbi Anglong hills. But with the water beginning to recede since Sunday evening, nature is only helping us clear huge quantity of debris from inside it,” Surajit Dutta, director of the Park said.
The water level has receded by about 10 centimetres since Sunday evening, and with the Brahmaputra water level also slightly falling in Dibrugarh and Jorhat upstream of Kaziranga, the National Park is expected to register further fall in the flood level.
“Kaziranga being a major natural hatchery for fish, requires floods to distribute the fish across the Brahmaputra,” Dutta added.
Hooda visits flood-affected areas (Hindu 14 September 2010)
CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday visited the flood-affected areas of Yamunanagar and Karnal districts and ordered special “girdawari” to assess the losses caused to crops and property.
Mr. Hooda made an aerial survey of the area and also travelled by road to meet the affected people.
Talking to the media at Jagadhri, he scotched allegations levelled by the Opposition that “the floods were caused in Haryana to save Delhi”. He claimed that the devastation could have been much worse if the Government had not taken timely steps.
He directed the district authorities to take stern action against hoarding of sand near the banks of the Yamuna as this had contributed to the flooding of low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman said the discharge into the Yamuna at 6 a.m. was 51,219 cusecs and it reached the level of 154,096 cusecs at 10 a.m, 257,499 cusecs at 11 a.m. and 265,944 cusecs at 1 p.m. Thereafter it started receding and was pegged at 119,325 cusecs at 4 p.m.
The discharge into the Somb and Pathrala rivers was only 2,000 cusecs, he added.
The flood water that had entered the villages and the agriculture land after peak discharge of 7.07 lakh cusecs have receded.
However, the embankment along the Yamuna has been damaged at many places by way of erosion and some fresh damage has been caused to the old Tajewala headworks.
Mr. Hooda made an aerial survey of the area and also travelled by road to meet the affected people.
Talking to the media at Jagadhri, he scotched allegations levelled by the Opposition that “the floods were caused in Haryana to save Delhi”. He claimed that the devastation could have been much worse if the Government had not taken timely steps.
He directed the district authorities to take stern action against hoarding of sand near the banks of the Yamuna as this had contributed to the flooding of low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman said the discharge into the Yamuna at 6 a.m. was 51,219 cusecs and it reached the level of 154,096 cusecs at 10 a.m, 257,499 cusecs at 11 a.m. and 265,944 cusecs at 1 p.m. Thereafter it started receding and was pegged at 119,325 cusecs at 4 p.m.
The discharge into the Somb and Pathrala rivers was only 2,000 cusecs, he added.
The flood water that had entered the villages and the agriculture land after peak discharge of 7.07 lakh cusecs have receded.
However, the embankment along the Yamuna has been damaged at many places by way of erosion and some fresh damage has been caused to the old Tajewala headworks.
Yamuna declining gradually (Hindu 14 September 2010)
The Yamuna began to recede gradually on Monday, but the relief is temporary as the river is expected to rise again overnight. From 205.39 metres at 5 p.m. on Monday it is expected to reach 205.60 metres on Tuesday morning.
Through out the day the amount of water released from the Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana kept decreasing and to the relief of the administration the level in the Yamuna also began to recede.
“After 1 p.m. today when the discharge was 2,65,994 cusecs, the amount of water has been decreasing, but the forecast that we have indicates that by tomorrow morning the river will again rise to 205.60 metres,” said Ish Kumar, Chief Engineer of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi Government.
Starting at 11 a.m., 2,57,499 cusecs water was released from the Hathni Kund barrage, it came down to 2,65,944 cusecs by 1 p.m., 2,37,000 cusecs by 2 p.m. and by 3 p.m. it was 2,10,681 cusecs.
Experts said variations were a common feature during the monsoon season. “It is possible that during the monsoon months such variations are usual and hence not much should be read into it. On the other hand this could be an indicator for another round of floods too in case any discharge in excess of 3,50,000 takes place again at Hathni Kund,” said Manoj Misra of the non-government organisation Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
The administration is now beginning focus attention on the “positive aspects of the flood”. While it has set up relief camps for those affected by the floods in the low-laying areas and pitched tents at safer places, the administration is now looking at the floods as a godsend. “There are villagers who have cut the banks along the Mungeshpur drain to irrigate their fields. This flood has ensured that drains and channels that were running dry for several years now have ample water flowing in them,” said Mr. Kumar.
Citing the example of village Nizampur, he said: “Villages here have given us in writing that they do not want us to removes the pipes that they have attached to the drain by cutting the banks. They want to use the water for irrigation and they said this water has come as a boon for them and agriculture.”
Mr. Kumar said the excess water has cleaned the Yamuna and will help recharge the ground water levels of the city that were plunging due to rampant use. “There is inconvenience being caused by the floods, but in the long run they will overall benefit the city.”
The river has crossed the danger mark of 204.83 metres twice within a month. The first time was on August 22 when 3,40,000 cusecs of water was discharged into the river at the Hathni Kund barrage and on September 8 when 6,07,000 cusecs was discharged into the river following incessant rains in its catchment areas in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
· All through the day the amount of water released from the Hathni Kund barrage kept decreasing
· ‘Excess water has cleaned the Yamuna and will recharge the ground water levels of the city'
Through out the day the amount of water released from the Hathni Kund barrage in Haryana kept decreasing and to the relief of the administration the level in the Yamuna also began to recede.
“After 1 p.m. today when the discharge was 2,65,994 cusecs, the amount of water has been decreasing, but the forecast that we have indicates that by tomorrow morning the river will again rise to 205.60 metres,” said Ish Kumar, Chief Engineer of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Delhi Government.
Starting at 11 a.m., 2,57,499 cusecs water was released from the Hathni Kund barrage, it came down to 2,65,944 cusecs by 1 p.m., 2,37,000 cusecs by 2 p.m. and by 3 p.m. it was 2,10,681 cusecs.
Experts said variations were a common feature during the monsoon season. “It is possible that during the monsoon months such variations are usual and hence not much should be read into it. On the other hand this could be an indicator for another round of floods too in case any discharge in excess of 3,50,000 takes place again at Hathni Kund,” said Manoj Misra of the non-government organisation Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
The administration is now beginning focus attention on the “positive aspects of the flood”. While it has set up relief camps for those affected by the floods in the low-laying areas and pitched tents at safer places, the administration is now looking at the floods as a godsend. “There are villagers who have cut the banks along the Mungeshpur drain to irrigate their fields. This flood has ensured that drains and channels that were running dry for several years now have ample water flowing in them,” said Mr. Kumar.
Citing the example of village Nizampur, he said: “Villages here have given us in writing that they do not want us to removes the pipes that they have attached to the drain by cutting the banks. They want to use the water for irrigation and they said this water has come as a boon for them and agriculture.”
Mr. Kumar said the excess water has cleaned the Yamuna and will help recharge the ground water levels of the city that were plunging due to rampant use. “There is inconvenience being caused by the floods, but in the long run they will overall benefit the city.”
The river has crossed the danger mark of 204.83 metres twice within a month. The first time was on August 22 when 3,40,000 cusecs of water was discharged into the river at the Hathni Kund barrage and on September 8 when 6,07,000 cusecs was discharged into the river following incessant rains in its catchment areas in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
· All through the day the amount of water released from the Hathni Kund barrage kept decreasing
· ‘Excess water has cleaned the Yamuna and will recharge the ground water levels of the city'
No signs yet of monsoon withdrawal (Hindu 14 September 2010)
Relishing the rain: School children enjoying the downpour on their way home in New Delhi on Monday.
Will the unprecedented rain the Capital has received this monsoon ebb away before the Commonwealth Games begin on October 3? That is the question on everyone's lips.
Unfavourable conditions
But all that the weatherman is willing to commit is that the monsoon will not withdraw before September 21. The normal date for withdrawal of the monsoon in Delhi is September 20. The conditions for withdrawal of the monsoon are still not favourable, he added.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the next five days will see cloudy skies with the possibility of rain/thundershowers on Tuesday and Wednesday after which the rainfall is expected to decrease.
The city has so far received 888 mm of rainfall since July 5 when the monsoon hit the Capital, which is 283 mm more than usual. In September alone, the city has received 188 mm of rainfall so far, which is 90 mm more than the usual rain for this month.
Will the unprecedented rain the Capital has received this monsoon ebb away before the Commonwealth Games begin on October 3? That is the question on everyone's lips.
Unfavourable conditions
But all that the weatherman is willing to commit is that the monsoon will not withdraw before September 21. The normal date for withdrawal of the monsoon in Delhi is September 20. The conditions for withdrawal of the monsoon are still not favourable, he added.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the next five days will see cloudy skies with the possibility of rain/thundershowers on Tuesday and Wednesday after which the rainfall is expected to decrease.
The city has so far received 888 mm of rainfall since July 5 when the monsoon hit the Capital, which is 283 mm more than usual. In September alone, the city has received 188 mm of rainfall so far, which is 90 mm more than the usual rain for this month.
Haryana flood situation eases; Yamuna level down (Hindu 13 September 2010)
Water which had entered agriculture land and villages of Yamunanagar and Karnal districts has also receded
Farmers take a close look at the crops damaged by floods in Panipat district of Haryana on Sunday.
CHANDIGARH: The flood situation in Haryana has eased with the water level in the Yamuna going down, an official spokesman said here on Sunday.
He disclosed that the discharge at Hathni Kund Barrage was 52,380 cusecs at 12 noon and of this, 44,080 cusecs was flowing into the Yamuna while the Western Yamuna Canal was running with 6,500 cusecs discharge. No water was flowing in Som and Pathrala rivers, he added.
The water which had entered into agriculture land and villages of Yamunanagar and Karnal districts had also receded. Now water was standing in low-lying areas only.
Admitting that the receding water in the rivers had eroded the soil, he said the damage caused to the land would be assessed soon.
He further said that the length of the breach in Panipat district in the bund of the Yamuna between Tamsabad and Pathargarh villages was approximately 175 feet wide. Now the water was receding in Panipat district and the water which had entered the agriculture land through this breach had also flowed back into the river.
After crossing through Delhi on Saturday night, the peak water discharge had reached Faridabad and Palwal districts where the water level was constant in the river. It had touched the existing bunds along the river in Lalpur, Kiadawali, Dalelpur and Mahavatpur villages but no appreciable damage had been reported. All the river embankments were safe and water was passing smoothly, he claimed.
Nuh town and surrounding areas had been water-logged following 182 millimetres rainfall since last night. Water pumps had been installed at 61 sites for dewatering of rain water from populated areas.
The discharge in Markanda river had receded to 8,869 cusecs and no water was flowing in Tangri river while the discharge in Ghaggar river had been recorded at 26,440 cusecs at Guhla-Cheeka, 11,075 cusecs at Khanouri and 10,900 cusecs at Chandpur Siphon.
He further said that nine breaches had been caused at various sites of Markanda river bund in Sadiqpur, Shelia, Alapur, Harda Hardi, Charnel Majra, Hema Majra and Gallery villages. Moreover, 10 small relief cuts had been made by the farmers in Markanda river (left bund) between Shahabad and Jhansa villages to save their crops between creak and bund.
Farmers take a close look at the crops damaged by floods in Panipat district of Haryana on Sunday.
CHANDIGARH: The flood situation in Haryana has eased with the water level in the Yamuna going down, an official spokesman said here on Sunday.
He disclosed that the discharge at Hathni Kund Barrage was 52,380 cusecs at 12 noon and of this, 44,080 cusecs was flowing into the Yamuna while the Western Yamuna Canal was running with 6,500 cusecs discharge. No water was flowing in Som and Pathrala rivers, he added.
The water which had entered into agriculture land and villages of Yamunanagar and Karnal districts had also receded. Now water was standing in low-lying areas only.
Admitting that the receding water in the rivers had eroded the soil, he said the damage caused to the land would be assessed soon.
He further said that the length of the breach in Panipat district in the bund of the Yamuna between Tamsabad and Pathargarh villages was approximately 175 feet wide. Now the water was receding in Panipat district and the water which had entered the agriculture land through this breach had also flowed back into the river.
After crossing through Delhi on Saturday night, the peak water discharge had reached Faridabad and Palwal districts where the water level was constant in the river. It had touched the existing bunds along the river in Lalpur, Kiadawali, Dalelpur and Mahavatpur villages but no appreciable damage had been reported. All the river embankments were safe and water was passing smoothly, he claimed.
Nuh town and surrounding areas had been water-logged following 182 millimetres rainfall since last night. Water pumps had been installed at 61 sites for dewatering of rain water from populated areas.
The discharge in Markanda river had receded to 8,869 cusecs and no water was flowing in Tangri river while the discharge in Ghaggar river had been recorded at 26,440 cusecs at Guhla-Cheeka, 11,075 cusecs at Khanouri and 10,900 cusecs at Chandpur Siphon.
He further said that nine breaches had been caused at various sites of Markanda river bund in Sadiqpur, Shelia, Alapur, Harda Hardi, Charnel Majra, Hema Majra and Gallery villages. Moreover, 10 small relief cuts had been made by the farmers in Markanda river (left bund) between Shahabad and Jhansa villages to save their crops between creak and bund.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Yamuna rising; Capital faces flood threat (Hindu 09 September 2010)
‘A warning has been sounded and people have been evacuated from low-lying areas'
Already anxious over completion of work ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Delhi now has an overriding worry: rising waters of the Yamuna and imminent floods.
On Wednesday, as the quantum of water being released from the Hathni Kund barrage rose, the Delhi Administration began to brace itself up for a flood that is expected to be second only to the one in 1978 which is recorded as the worst in the city's history.
The amount of water released from Hathni Kund kept increasing from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m., and to the relief of the administration started subsiding after 5 p.m.
But experts cautioned that unless the waters in the Yamuna start receding overnight and rain in the upper reaches stops, the Capital will witness a flood.
“We are watching the situation. A lot of water has been released. At 4 p.m., 607,076 cusecs was released and this will take between 48 to 60 hours to reach Delhi. And yes, there is a flood threat,” said a senior official of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Delhi Government.
In 1978, over seven lakh cusec of water was released into the Yamuna, as a consequence of which there was a severe flood that the city continues to recall even after three decades.
“This time the quantum of water released is less, but it is a red flag for the city,” said Manoj Misra, convenor of the non-government organisation Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
Delhi Government officials said as per the forecast issued by the Central Water Commission, the level of the river is expected to rise to 204.83 metres, which is also the danger mark.
“At 4 p.m. the water level in the river had reached 204.12 metres and by 8 p.m. on Thursday it is expected to touch 204.83 metres. A warning has already been sounded and people have been evacuated from the low lying areas,” an official said.
On Wednesday the water being released from the Hathni Kund barrage kept increasing hourly.
At 5 a.m., 62,000 cusecs was released; this rose to 92,000 cusecs at 6 a.m.; and by 11 a.m. it was 519,000 cusecs.
Dismissing fears that the city can get under water, the official said: “The flooding will occur in the floodplains. We will maintain a strict vigil over the embankments and check them for breaches. There is no threat of the flood waters entering the city and there is no connection between the water logging that happens on the roads and the rising levels of the Yamuna, because the sluice gates are kept shut at the major drains.”
On what the administration will do to check the flood, the official said: “We will increase patrolling and enhance the pumping arrangements. If the level of the river keeps rising we will have to pump out the water from the local catchment areas and for that the pumping arrangements will have to be in place.”
Referring to fears that the flood waters can inundate the multi-crore Commonwealth Games Village and the adjoining Akshardham Temple, the official said: “These structures have been built after considerable study and research. As on date we foresee no threat to these structures.”
According to officials, the places that will bear the brunt of the flood are the low-lying areas of Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur, Batla House, Majnu Ka Tila, low-lying areas around Ring Road, ISBT, Yamuna Bazar and Qudesia Ghat.
“The amount of water that has been discharged means that the river will cross the 206-metre mark at Old Railway Bridge and even reach catastrophic 207-metre mark. While the 206-metre mark has been crossed several times including in 1988 and 1995 recently, the 207.49 metre mark was crossed in 1978 when the city witnessed the worst flood,” said Mr. Misra, adding: “Delhiites can only keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best.”
Already anxious over completion of work ahead of the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Delhi now has an overriding worry: rising waters of the Yamuna and imminent floods.
On Wednesday, as the quantum of water being released from the Hathni Kund barrage rose, the Delhi Administration began to brace itself up for a flood that is expected to be second only to the one in 1978 which is recorded as the worst in the city's history.
The amount of water released from Hathni Kund kept increasing from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m., and to the relief of the administration started subsiding after 5 p.m.
But experts cautioned that unless the waters in the Yamuna start receding overnight and rain in the upper reaches stops, the Capital will witness a flood.
“We are watching the situation. A lot of water has been released. At 4 p.m., 607,076 cusecs was released and this will take between 48 to 60 hours to reach Delhi. And yes, there is a flood threat,” said a senior official of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Delhi Government.
In 1978, over seven lakh cusec of water was released into the Yamuna, as a consequence of which there was a severe flood that the city continues to recall even after three decades.
“This time the quantum of water released is less, but it is a red flag for the city,” said Manoj Misra, convenor of the non-government organisation Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.
Delhi Government officials said as per the forecast issued by the Central Water Commission, the level of the river is expected to rise to 204.83 metres, which is also the danger mark.
“At 4 p.m. the water level in the river had reached 204.12 metres and by 8 p.m. on Thursday it is expected to touch 204.83 metres. A warning has already been sounded and people have been evacuated from the low lying areas,” an official said.
On Wednesday the water being released from the Hathni Kund barrage kept increasing hourly.
At 5 a.m., 62,000 cusecs was released; this rose to 92,000 cusecs at 6 a.m.; and by 11 a.m. it was 519,000 cusecs.
Dismissing fears that the city can get under water, the official said: “The flooding will occur in the floodplains. We will maintain a strict vigil over the embankments and check them for breaches. There is no threat of the flood waters entering the city and there is no connection between the water logging that happens on the roads and the rising levels of the Yamuna, because the sluice gates are kept shut at the major drains.”
On what the administration will do to check the flood, the official said: “We will increase patrolling and enhance the pumping arrangements. If the level of the river keeps rising we will have to pump out the water from the local catchment areas and for that the pumping arrangements will have to be in place.”
Referring to fears that the flood waters can inundate the multi-crore Commonwealth Games Village and the adjoining Akshardham Temple, the official said: “These structures have been built after considerable study and research. As on date we foresee no threat to these structures.”
According to officials, the places that will bear the brunt of the flood are the low-lying areas of Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur, Batla House, Majnu Ka Tila, low-lying areas around Ring Road, ISBT, Yamuna Bazar and Qudesia Ghat.
“The amount of water that has been discharged means that the river will cross the 206-metre mark at Old Railway Bridge and even reach catastrophic 207-metre mark. While the 206-metre mark has been crossed several times including in 1988 and 1995 recently, the 207.49 metre mark was crossed in 1978 when the city witnessed the worst flood,” said Mr. Misra, adding: “Delhiites can only keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best.”
Flood alert in many Haryana districts (Hindu 09 September 2010)
Heavy rainfall in Himachal, Uttarakhand, U.P
The Haryana Government on Wednesday alerted the district administrations of Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Sonepat about flood threat.
Chief Secretary Urvashi Gulati said the alert had been sounded in view of heavy rainfall in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh since Tuesday and the resultant increase in the flow of water in the Yamuna, Som and Pathrala rivers.
She also directed the Sonepat district authorities to get Hasanpur and Manauli Tonki villages vacated as a preventive measure.
Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Irrigation) S. S. Dhillon said the Delhi Government had been alerted that more water was expected to reach the national Capital in the next 48 hours because of increased flow of water in the Yamuna.
He said the district administrations of Faridabad and Palwal had been directed to take effective measures. The Ambala district authorities have also alerted the Army and the National Disaster Response Force.
The Yamuna had a flow of 6.86 lakh cusecs at 5 p.m. whereas the Som and Pathrala were having a flow of one lakh cusecs each.
Bilaspur in Yamunanagar district had recorded 310 mm of rain on Wednesday due to which the flow of water had increased in the Yamuna. The Yamunanagar district administration has urged the people to keep their children away from the river and asked the panchayats to remain in touch.
The Chharauli-Poanta Sahib National Highway No.73 A had been closed to traffic, he added.
Delhi alerted on more water flow into the Yamuna
Two villages in Sonepat to be evacuated
The Haryana Government on Wednesday alerted the district administrations of Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Sonepat about flood threat.
Chief Secretary Urvashi Gulati said the alert had been sounded in view of heavy rainfall in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh since Tuesday and the resultant increase in the flow of water in the Yamuna, Som and Pathrala rivers.
She also directed the Sonepat district authorities to get Hasanpur and Manauli Tonki villages vacated as a preventive measure.
Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Irrigation) S. S. Dhillon said the Delhi Government had been alerted that more water was expected to reach the national Capital in the next 48 hours because of increased flow of water in the Yamuna.
He said the district administrations of Faridabad and Palwal had been directed to take effective measures. The Ambala district authorities have also alerted the Army and the National Disaster Response Force.
The Yamuna had a flow of 6.86 lakh cusecs at 5 p.m. whereas the Som and Pathrala were having a flow of one lakh cusecs each.
Bilaspur in Yamunanagar district had recorded 310 mm of rain on Wednesday due to which the flow of water had increased in the Yamuna. The Yamunanagar district administration has urged the people to keep their children away from the river and asked the panchayats to remain in touch.
The Chharauli-Poanta Sahib National Highway No.73 A had been closed to traffic, he added.
Delhi alerted on more water flow into the Yamuna
Two villages in Sonepat to be evacuated
'There's no danger of flood hitting Delhi' (Times of India 11 Srptember 2010)
The Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark for the second day in a row on Thursday. The water level on Thursday night was recorded at 206.11 meters—1.28 meters above the danger mark. With the threat of a flood looming large, the Old Yamuna Bridge was closed for traffic on Thursday afternoon and routes of more than 20 trains were altered
Authorities, however, maintained the situation was under control and that there was no danger of flood hitting Delhi.
Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister, Rajkumar Chauhan, said everything was under control and asked people not to panic. He added that there was no danger of flood in Delhi.
"The water is expected to reach a level of 206.65 meters by 11 am tomorrow after which it will increase further. We are all prepared and there shouldn't be any problem. The department has tackled worse situations in the past," said Ish Kumar, chief engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
Officials hope the coming days remain rain free so that water logging is eased around the city. "It will be a great relief for us if there is no rain on Saturday and Sunday otherwise we will have to carry out large-scale water pumping in areas like Jehangirpuri," Kumar added.
But the Met department has not predicted any relief for Saturday. "There will be a partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain and thundershowers on Saturday," said the weatherman.
Flood Control Department officials added that the intensity of water flow is lower this year, as it has already breached the riverbanks in various parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. "Since the rate of flow is slow, the water will also take a longer time to recede. It may take more than a week for the water levels to go back below the danger mark of 204.83 meters," Kumar said.
Authorities, however, maintained the situation was under control and that there was no danger of flood hitting Delhi.
Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control Minister, Rajkumar Chauhan, said everything was under control and asked people not to panic. He added that there was no danger of flood in Delhi.
"The water is expected to reach a level of 206.65 meters by 11 am tomorrow after which it will increase further. We are all prepared and there shouldn't be any problem. The department has tackled worse situations in the past," said Ish Kumar, chief engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
Officials hope the coming days remain rain free so that water logging is eased around the city. "It will be a great relief for us if there is no rain on Saturday and Sunday otherwise we will have to carry out large-scale water pumping in areas like Jehangirpuri," Kumar added.
But the Met department has not predicted any relief for Saturday. "There will be a partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain and thundershowers on Saturday," said the weatherman.
Flood Control Department officials added that the intensity of water flow is lower this year, as it has already breached the riverbanks in various parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. "Since the rate of flow is slow, the water will also take a longer time to recede. It may take more than a week for the water levels to go back below the danger mark of 204.83 meters," Kumar said.
Yamuna above danger mark, but nothing to fear (Indian Express 10 September 2010)
The Yamuna is swelling up again. While 6.07 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Hathnikund barrage and was headed for Delhi, the Som river in the passage of Yamuna to Delhi is also carrying over 1 lakh cusecs of water. The water is likely to reach Delhi by 4 pm on Friday, and the river level is likely to touch the mark of 206.35 metres, 1.52 metres above the danger mark.
This water level will be a 32-year record. In 1978, when seven lakh cusecs of water was released into the river, the low-lying areas of Delhi had flooded, together with localities in North and East Delhi close to the river's floodplains. That year also saw the highest ever water level at 207.49 metres.
"The river flowed 23 cm above the danger level at 205.06 metres on Thursday evening. The water flow in the river is showing a rising trend, which would continue for the next three days before becoming constant. The river is likely to touch the mark of 206.35 metres by 4 pm on Friday," said V P S Tomar, Chief Engineer of the Flood Control Department.
Tomar, however, added that there was no need to panic or fear. "The flood-prone areas were evacuated in August-end itself when the Yamuna levels were rising, and the residents from these areas are already staying in camps. The department is maintaining a strict vigil to ensure nobody goes back to the affected areas," he said.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said all measures have been taken to deal with the "serious" situation.
This water level will be a 32-year record. In 1978, when seven lakh cusecs of water was released into the river, the low-lying areas of Delhi had flooded, together with localities in North and East Delhi close to the river's floodplains. That year also saw the highest ever water level at 207.49 metres.
"The river flowed 23 cm above the danger level at 205.06 metres on Thursday evening. The water flow in the river is showing a rising trend, which would continue for the next three days before becoming constant. The river is likely to touch the mark of 206.35 metres by 4 pm on Friday," said V P S Tomar, Chief Engineer of the Flood Control Department.
Tomar, however, added that there was no need to panic or fear. "The flood-prone areas were evacuated in August-end itself when the Yamuna levels were rising, and the residents from these areas are already staying in camps. The department is maintaining a strict vigil to ensure nobody goes back to the affected areas," he said.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said all measures have been taken to deal with the "serious" situation.
Yamuna crosses the danger mark; Delhi may witness 1978 type floods (Hindi 10 September 2010)
River in a menacing mood, might soar to its highest level around noon today
People living in low-lying areas asked to vacate and take shelter in high places
Delhi Government has made adequate arrangements to tackle situation: Minister
WATER OVER BRIDGE: Commuters negotiate a water-logged Old Yamuna Bridge in Delhi on Thursday.
NEW DELHI: For the second time this season, the Yamuna breached the danger level of 204.83 metres at the Old Railway Bridge in the Capital on Thursday afternoon after about 7 lakh cusecs of water was released upstream from Hathani Kund barrage in Haryana.
With excessive amount of water released by Haryana between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, experts believe that Delhi would witness the highest flood level of around 207 metres past noon this Friday.
While the river had flowed over the danger mark for over a week this past month and hovered around the 206-metre mark before receding, it has risen much more menacingly now and is expected to go even a metre higher, flooding vast stretches of land and low-lying areas.
With the river rising continuously, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit held a review meeting with officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department at her residence on Thursday morning. Later Delhi Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan convened an urgent high-level meeting to review the situation arising out of the release of water from Hathani Kund barrage in Haryana and the rapid rise in the level of the Yamuna in Delhi.
Mr. Chauhan informed that as per information received from the Central Water Commission the level of the Yamuna might reach a record level of 206.90 metres on Friday and stay around that level.
Release of a similar quantity of water from the barrage in 1978 had led to massive flooding in Delhi when the level of the Yamuna had touched 207.49 metres.
Mr. Chauhan, however, assured that the situation is very different this time round. He said the Delhi Government had made adequate arrangements should the Yamuna bank or nearby low-lying areas get flooded.
The Minister also appealed to the people living in low-laying areas to vacate and take shelter on high places.
He said the Irrigation and Flood Control Department officials have been issuing continuous warnings to people residing in low laying areas to vacate and shift to safer locations. “The situation is being monitored round the clock through a control room set up by Deputy Commissioner (East),'' he said.
The Minister said the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has also readied 85,850 empty cement bags, 3,582 cubic metres of stone, 5,275 wooden ‘balli', 2,700 iron mesh or ‘jali', 11 trucks, 422 life jackets and 45 specialised search lights to meet any eventuality.
Besides, he added, 90 big and small pumps have been installed at different locations to pump out water from low-lying areas like Ring Road, Okhla, Majnu Ka Tila, Burari, Batala House and Jahangirpuri.
Stating that 74 boats and 68 divers have been placed on stand-by along with a team of the National Disaster Relief Force, the Minister said the Chief Engineer of the Flood Control Department has also been directed to keep adequate staff ready to deal with any breach on the bunds along the river.
People living in low-lying areas asked to vacate and take shelter in high places
Delhi Government has made adequate arrangements to tackle situation: Minister
WATER OVER BRIDGE: Commuters negotiate a water-logged Old Yamuna Bridge in Delhi on Thursday.
NEW DELHI: For the second time this season, the Yamuna breached the danger level of 204.83 metres at the Old Railway Bridge in the Capital on Thursday afternoon after about 7 lakh cusecs of water was released upstream from Hathani Kund barrage in Haryana.
With excessive amount of water released by Haryana between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, experts believe that Delhi would witness the highest flood level of around 207 metres past noon this Friday.
While the river had flowed over the danger mark for over a week this past month and hovered around the 206-metre mark before receding, it has risen much more menacingly now and is expected to go even a metre higher, flooding vast stretches of land and low-lying areas.
With the river rising continuously, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit held a review meeting with officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department at her residence on Thursday morning. Later Delhi Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan convened an urgent high-level meeting to review the situation arising out of the release of water from Hathani Kund barrage in Haryana and the rapid rise in the level of the Yamuna in Delhi.
Mr. Chauhan informed that as per information received from the Central Water Commission the level of the Yamuna might reach a record level of 206.90 metres on Friday and stay around that level.
Release of a similar quantity of water from the barrage in 1978 had led to massive flooding in Delhi when the level of the Yamuna had touched 207.49 metres.
Mr. Chauhan, however, assured that the situation is very different this time round. He said the Delhi Government had made adequate arrangements should the Yamuna bank or nearby low-lying areas get flooded.
The Minister also appealed to the people living in low-laying areas to vacate and take shelter on high places.
He said the Irrigation and Flood Control Department officials have been issuing continuous warnings to people residing in low laying areas to vacate and shift to safer locations. “The situation is being monitored round the clock through a control room set up by Deputy Commissioner (East),'' he said.
The Minister said the Irrigation and Flood Control Department has also readied 85,850 empty cement bags, 3,582 cubic metres of stone, 5,275 wooden ‘balli', 2,700 iron mesh or ‘jali', 11 trucks, 422 life jackets and 45 specialised search lights to meet any eventuality.
Besides, he added, 90 big and small pumps have been installed at different locations to pump out water from low-lying areas like Ring Road, Okhla, Majnu Ka Tila, Burari, Batala House and Jahangirpuri.
Stating that 74 boats and 68 divers have been placed on stand-by along with a team of the National Disaster Relief Force, the Minister said the Chief Engineer of the Flood Control Department has also been directed to keep adequate staff ready to deal with any breach on the bunds along the river.
Flood situation in Haryana worsens (Hindu 10 September 2010)
Yamunanagar, Ambala districts worst affected
National Highways 73 and 73A still closed
Faridabad faces flood threat
CHANDIGARH: The flood situation in Haryana turned grim on Thursday with Yamunanagar and Ambala districts worst affected due to heavy rain in the region for the past two days.
Official sources said nearly 100 villages are flooded in Yamunanagar district as the Yamuna and seasonal rivers of Som Nadi and Pathrala are in spate and have been breached at several places.
They further said that flood water had entered 62 of these villages, including the inhabited areas, and at least 15 villages were completely cut off as the roads had been submerged in water. Agricultural land in the affected villages, particularly Khiljrabad, Khijri, Ledilada and Jalana, had suffered the maximum damage.
Flood water have also spilled and entered a few villages like Chougam, Hansu Majra, Garhi Birbal, Garhpur Tapu, Palsora, Halwana, Nabiyabad, Japti Chhapra, Sayed Chhapra, Nagli and Dera Sikkligarh.
The Jagadhri-Saharanpur National Highway-73 and the Jagadhri-Poanta Sahib National Highway-73A are still closed to traffic after some portions were damaged on Wednesday.
Yamunanagar Deputy Commissioner Ashok Sangwan claimed that the water inflow in the Yamuna had reduced considerably and nearly 1.70 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Hathni Kund Barrage.
Troops have been called out to help in the rescue and relief operations.
Meanwhile, Ambala Deputy Commissioner Samir Pal Saro has advised the people to avoid going near the Tangi and Markanda rivers as it could prove dangerous due to the rising level of water in these rivers.
Due to heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh, the Tangri and Markanda rivers have recorded a heavy inflow of water. Six persons who went near the riverbed to collect firewood got trapped in the heavy waters at Harda village on Wednesday. They had climbed the poplar trees in a bid to save themselves. Army jawans rescued them from drowning by showing exemplary courage and bravery, he added.
The district administration was maintaining a close vigil as water in these rivers had touched 50,000 cusecs on Wednesday night which was the highest level witnessed in the last 25 years, he said
The area between Kalpi and Markanda has become water-logged and the road between Saha and Jagadhri has been closed to vehicular traffic.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman of the Irrigation Department said that the damage to the Tajewala Headworks would be reviewed after the floods recede.
In a related development, Faridabad district authorities sounded an alert about flood threat as water in the Yamuna released from Hathni Kund Barrage was likely to reach the district through the Okhla Barrage.
National Highways 73 and 73A still closed
Faridabad faces flood threat
CHANDIGARH: The flood situation in Haryana turned grim on Thursday with Yamunanagar and Ambala districts worst affected due to heavy rain in the region for the past two days.
Official sources said nearly 100 villages are flooded in Yamunanagar district as the Yamuna and seasonal rivers of Som Nadi and Pathrala are in spate and have been breached at several places.
They further said that flood water had entered 62 of these villages, including the inhabited areas, and at least 15 villages were completely cut off as the roads had been submerged in water. Agricultural land in the affected villages, particularly Khiljrabad, Khijri, Ledilada and Jalana, had suffered the maximum damage.
Flood water have also spilled and entered a few villages like Chougam, Hansu Majra, Garhi Birbal, Garhpur Tapu, Palsora, Halwana, Nabiyabad, Japti Chhapra, Sayed Chhapra, Nagli and Dera Sikkligarh.
The Jagadhri-Saharanpur National Highway-73 and the Jagadhri-Poanta Sahib National Highway-73A are still closed to traffic after some portions were damaged on Wednesday.
Yamunanagar Deputy Commissioner Ashok Sangwan claimed that the water inflow in the Yamuna had reduced considerably and nearly 1.70 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Hathni Kund Barrage.
Troops have been called out to help in the rescue and relief operations.
Meanwhile, Ambala Deputy Commissioner Samir Pal Saro has advised the people to avoid going near the Tangi and Markanda rivers as it could prove dangerous due to the rising level of water in these rivers.
Due to heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh, the Tangri and Markanda rivers have recorded a heavy inflow of water. Six persons who went near the riverbed to collect firewood got trapped in the heavy waters at Harda village on Wednesday. They had climbed the poplar trees in a bid to save themselves. Army jawans rescued them from drowning by showing exemplary courage and bravery, he added.
The district administration was maintaining a close vigil as water in these rivers had touched 50,000 cusecs on Wednesday night which was the highest level witnessed in the last 25 years, he said
The area between Kalpi and Markanda has become water-logged and the road between Saha and Jagadhri has been closed to vehicular traffic.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman of the Irrigation Department said that the damage to the Tajewala Headworks would be reviewed after the floods recede.
In a related development, Faridabad district authorities sounded an alert about flood threat as water in the Yamuna released from Hathni Kund Barrage was likely to reach the district through the Okhla Barrage.
Flash floods kill 8 in Arunachal Pradesh (Hindu 11 September 2010)
Guwahati: Flash floods in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh bordering China claimed eight lives on Thursday evening. Several houses in Mossing village of the district were washed away.
Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was scheduled to visit Pasighat in East Siang district on Friday to hold a public consultation on projects to build dams across the Siang river, cancelled his visit as floodwaters inundated the airfield.
The floods have disrupted surface communication in the districts. Several bridges have also been damaged or washed away.
In Upper Siang, the road link has been disrupted between the headquarter town of Yingkiong and Tuting and Mariyang, while the Pasighat-Pangin road and Pasighat-Mebo road in East Siang district were breached at several places.
The Brahmaputra has also swelled, flooding a large number of villages in upper Assam, and also the river-island of Majuli.
Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh, who was scheduled to visit Pasighat in East Siang district on Friday to hold a public consultation on projects to build dams across the Siang river, cancelled his visit as floodwaters inundated the airfield.
The floods have disrupted surface communication in the districts. Several bridges have also been damaged or washed away.
In Upper Siang, the road link has been disrupted between the headquarter town of Yingkiong and Tuting and Mariyang, while the Pasighat-Pangin road and Pasighat-Mebo road in East Siang district were breached at several places.
The Brahmaputra has also swelled, flooding a large number of villages in upper Assam, and also the river-island of Majuli.
PAANI (Indian Express 11 September 2010)
“Did you pray to the God here at this temple in the morning to spare you from the Yamuna floods?” thundered the Zee TV reporter, half-submerged in the Pracheen Shiv Mandir complex on the banks of the river in East Delhi.
Deftly balancing a rainbow umbrella and his camera, the cameraman walked down the steps of the temple to where the reporter was standing, his trousers rolled up to the knees.
The target of the reporter’s question was the hapless young priest, Bharat Bhushan, who fumbled and stammered before nodding what looked like a half-yes and a half-no.
But the reporter didn’t need an answer, he had one already. “What can God do? The God has drowned,” he declared, looking straight into the camera. The camera moved to the deity who sat in her place with a stone smile on her lips, muddy-brown water lapping against her feet.
This was just one of the over 20 TV teams that had found perches for themselves and their OB vans along the banks of the Yamuna waiting to record the “catastrophe of sorts”, the “10,766-crore-litre deluge”, the “moment when cars will start swimming and the city will start drowning”. Happy children, with more than enough water to splash around and bathe in, shouted, “Aaj ki Taaza Khabar.”
They had all started work early in the morning, primed by some newspaper headlines that the end was near, that it would come around 4 pm. That the water could cross the 207-m mark, as it did in 1978.
After around 6 lakh cusecs were released into the Yamuna from the Hathni Kund Barrage in Haryana Wednesday, the river rose to reach 206.03 m this evening — 1.2 m above the danger mark.
By Saturday morning, it is expected to rise to 206.35 m, and maybe even reach the Ring Road. But the Central Water Commission said it wasn’t going to breach the 207-m mark.
But those were only facts that came in the way of today’s lovely TV story.
At 4.03 pm, the deluge didn’t come. The reporters looked confused. A reporter from India Live stood valiantly, waist-deep in the river, doing her flood piece. That was the lowest vantage point. As she stood under the bridge, telling the world that Delhi was about to drown, Pawan Mishra, a slightly puzzled bystander, made an obvious point.
“But this is where the Yamuna flows. It is the river’s space. Why are they all making it seem as if the river has expanded?” Mishra said.
But Mishra confessed to having played his own part in the tamasha. Somewhat guiltily, he said he had succumbed to the invitation of a young reporter who, speaking in Punjabi, had urged him to roll up his trousers and get into the water. He had done so, but the river had only lapped his ankles. She had egged him to go farther. But from where they were standing, the river had looked menacing to Mishra. He had chickened out. Later, he was looking for her.
“They are like butterflies,” Mishra said. “They skip from one spot to another, stand on the bridge, go down to the river, they do all sorts of things,” he said. “I have been watching them for a while. One of them asked me to ask for flood relief on camera. But I don’t even live here. I only came to watch the 4 pm deluge.”
One cameraman said his channel had given him specific instructions to show the water as if it was a threat.
“Of course this is a flood,” he said, pointing to a few jhuggis that had been submerged. “We do what we are asked to do. We will be here late into the night. You never know when the floods will come.”
In 1978, the river had crossed 207.48 m, affecting over 250,000 people.
But today, when no deluge came, the reporters began to take U-turns. One channel said there was a “Brake on the floods”; one reporter, a cloud over his face, said there was “no hope of floods”. His anchor had a ready explanation: a crack in a dam in Panipat was the reason why the flood had got delayed.
At Boat Club near ISBT, TV crew had hired rickety boats to do their “piece-to-camera” or “walk-through”. Around 74 boats and 68 divers were kept in the standby mode by the Delhi government but at the Boat Club most boatmen made a killing by renting out the boats to TV crew.
A member of a television crew stationed near the Yamuna said the boats could be used for rescue operations with the cameras in them. The media was doing public service, he said.
In a far corner, Doordarshan reporter Anuj Yadav stood with his team. “We are reporting the truth. There are no floods here. The other media are reporting Delhi will be flooded in 24 hours. This is creating a crisis,” he said. “This is Peepli [Live].”
A few steps away from this moral high ground, a young TV reporter climbed on to the roof of a house, adjusted her hair and began to speak. She was out of earshot.
Deftly balancing a rainbow umbrella and his camera, the cameraman walked down the steps of the temple to where the reporter was standing, his trousers rolled up to the knees.
The target of the reporter’s question was the hapless young priest, Bharat Bhushan, who fumbled and stammered before nodding what looked like a half-yes and a half-no.
But the reporter didn’t need an answer, he had one already. “What can God do? The God has drowned,” he declared, looking straight into the camera. The camera moved to the deity who sat in her place with a stone smile on her lips, muddy-brown water lapping against her feet.
This was just one of the over 20 TV teams that had found perches for themselves and their OB vans along the banks of the Yamuna waiting to record the “catastrophe of sorts”, the “10,766-crore-litre deluge”, the “moment when cars will start swimming and the city will start drowning”. Happy children, with more than enough water to splash around and bathe in, shouted, “Aaj ki Taaza Khabar.”
They had all started work early in the morning, primed by some newspaper headlines that the end was near, that it would come around 4 pm. That the water could cross the 207-m mark, as it did in 1978.
After around 6 lakh cusecs were released into the Yamuna from the Hathni Kund Barrage in Haryana Wednesday, the river rose to reach 206.03 m this evening — 1.2 m above the danger mark.
By Saturday morning, it is expected to rise to 206.35 m, and maybe even reach the Ring Road. But the Central Water Commission said it wasn’t going to breach the 207-m mark.
But those were only facts that came in the way of today’s lovely TV story.
At 4.03 pm, the deluge didn’t come. The reporters looked confused. A reporter from India Live stood valiantly, waist-deep in the river, doing her flood piece. That was the lowest vantage point. As she stood under the bridge, telling the world that Delhi was about to drown, Pawan Mishra, a slightly puzzled bystander, made an obvious point.
“But this is where the Yamuna flows. It is the river’s space. Why are they all making it seem as if the river has expanded?” Mishra said.
But Mishra confessed to having played his own part in the tamasha. Somewhat guiltily, he said he had succumbed to the invitation of a young reporter who, speaking in Punjabi, had urged him to roll up his trousers and get into the water. He had done so, but the river had only lapped his ankles. She had egged him to go farther. But from where they were standing, the river had looked menacing to Mishra. He had chickened out. Later, he was looking for her.
“They are like butterflies,” Mishra said. “They skip from one spot to another, stand on the bridge, go down to the river, they do all sorts of things,” he said. “I have been watching them for a while. One of them asked me to ask for flood relief on camera. But I don’t even live here. I only came to watch the 4 pm deluge.”
One cameraman said his channel had given him specific instructions to show the water as if it was a threat.
“Of course this is a flood,” he said, pointing to a few jhuggis that had been submerged. “We do what we are asked to do. We will be here late into the night. You never know when the floods will come.”
In 1978, the river had crossed 207.48 m, affecting over 250,000 people.
But today, when no deluge came, the reporters began to take U-turns. One channel said there was a “Brake on the floods”; one reporter, a cloud over his face, said there was “no hope of floods”. His anchor had a ready explanation: a crack in a dam in Panipat was the reason why the flood had got delayed.
At Boat Club near ISBT, TV crew had hired rickety boats to do their “piece-to-camera” or “walk-through”. Around 74 boats and 68 divers were kept in the standby mode by the Delhi government but at the Boat Club most boatmen made a killing by renting out the boats to TV crew.
A member of a television crew stationed near the Yamuna said the boats could be used for rescue operations with the cameras in them. The media was doing public service, he said.
In a far corner, Doordarshan reporter Anuj Yadav stood with his team. “We are reporting the truth. There are no floods here. The other media are reporting Delhi will be flooded in 24 hours. This is creating a crisis,” he said. “This is Peepli [Live].”
A few steps away from this moral high ground, a young TV reporter climbed on to the roof of a house, adjusted her hair and began to speak. She was out of earshot.
Yamuna breach makes Delhi heave a sigh of relief (Indian Express 11 September 2010)
Though water level of the river touched 206.03 metres by evening, officials ruled out the possibility of any major flooding
A breach in the Yamuna, passing through Panipat in Haryana, has diverted the flow of water — abating fears of massive flooding in the national capital.
With the water level rising since Thursday evening to reach 206.03 metres — 1.2 metres above the danger mark — by the same time on Friday, Railway authorities were forced to close the Old Yamuna Bridge.
The civic authorities, however, have made it clear that there is no chance of flood waters reaching city areas, and people living in low-lying areas had been evacuated by August-end itself.
“There is no need to worry. Everything is in place and the administration is fully equipped to handle any eventuality. I was informed earlier today that some breaches have taken place in canals outside Delhi, due to which the water flowing through them has also deviated to other areas,” Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said.
The Central Water Commission had sounded the flood alarm after the water level reached 231.96 metres at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh at 7 am — indicating a rising trend. The flood warning was, however, brought down to moderate as the water level fell to 231.90 metres at about 2 pm, 1.05 metres above the danger mark.
A breach in the river at Pathargarh, Panipat, led to a decrease in the level of water heading towards New Delhi, officials said.
“There has been no further release from the Tajewala water works and, as per the CWC forecast, the water level is still showing a rising trend. It may reach 206.35 metres at the Old Yamuna Bridge by 6 am on Saturday,” VPS Tomar, Chief Engineer of the Delhi government’s Flood Control Department, told Newsline.
While the rains have receded in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for the time being, any further rainfall upstream could result in flooding of low-lying areas in the city, such as Usmanpur, Garhi Mandu and Batla House. Most of the areas prone to flooding were evacuated when the Yamuna rose in August-end. People from these areas have been living in camps ever since.
While 6.07 lakh cusecs of water crossed the Hathnikund barrage on Wednesday, another 1 lakh cusecs were added to the flow from the Som river during the passage of the Yamuna to the Capital.
Sluice gates of drains opening into the Yamuna have been closed to prevent any flooding in the city due to backflow. Civic authorities have assured the public that this will not lead to overflowing of the city’s drains, as pumps are working round the clock to flush out excess water.
“The department is geared up and working 24/7 to keep the situation under control. Big pumps have been installed at major drains to continuously pump out water,” Tomar said.
While traffic was diverted from the Ring Road to Seelampur and Seemapuri due to the shutting down of Old Yamuna Bridge, seven trains were cancelled, 28 were short-terminated, and 24 had to be diverted.
A breach in the Yamuna, passing through Panipat in Haryana, has diverted the flow of water — abating fears of massive flooding in the national capital.
With the water level rising since Thursday evening to reach 206.03 metres — 1.2 metres above the danger mark — by the same time on Friday, Railway authorities were forced to close the Old Yamuna Bridge.
The civic authorities, however, have made it clear that there is no chance of flood waters reaching city areas, and people living in low-lying areas had been evacuated by August-end itself.
“There is no need to worry. Everything is in place and the administration is fully equipped to handle any eventuality. I was informed earlier today that some breaches have taken place in canals outside Delhi, due to which the water flowing through them has also deviated to other areas,” Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said.
The Central Water Commission had sounded the flood alarm after the water level reached 231.96 metres at Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh at 7 am — indicating a rising trend. The flood warning was, however, brought down to moderate as the water level fell to 231.90 metres at about 2 pm, 1.05 metres above the danger mark.
A breach in the river at Pathargarh, Panipat, led to a decrease in the level of water heading towards New Delhi, officials said.
“There has been no further release from the Tajewala water works and, as per the CWC forecast, the water level is still showing a rising trend. It may reach 206.35 metres at the Old Yamuna Bridge by 6 am on Saturday,” VPS Tomar, Chief Engineer of the Delhi government’s Flood Control Department, told Newsline.
While the rains have receded in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand for the time being, any further rainfall upstream could result in flooding of low-lying areas in the city, such as Usmanpur, Garhi Mandu and Batla House. Most of the areas prone to flooding were evacuated when the Yamuna rose in August-end. People from these areas have been living in camps ever since.
While 6.07 lakh cusecs of water crossed the Hathnikund barrage on Wednesday, another 1 lakh cusecs were added to the flow from the Som river during the passage of the Yamuna to the Capital.
Sluice gates of drains opening into the Yamuna have been closed to prevent any flooding in the city due to backflow. Civic authorities have assured the public that this will not lead to overflowing of the city’s drains, as pumps are working round the clock to flush out excess water.
“The department is geared up and working 24/7 to keep the situation under control. Big pumps have been installed at major drains to continuously pump out water,” Tomar said.
While traffic was diverted from the Ring Road to Seelampur and Seemapuri due to the shutting down of Old Yamuna Bridge, seven trains were cancelled, 28 were short-terminated, and 24 had to be diverted.
Yamuna rising, danger mounting, Delhi watching (Hindu 11 September 2010)
City will be in the grip of severe flood if the level reaches 207 metres today
There was no relief from the floods for the Capital on Friday as the Yamuna kept swelling, flowing above the danger mark of 204.83 metres at the Old Railway Bridge. At 6 p.m. the river crossed the 206-metre mark, fuelling fears that it would reach the dreaded 207-metre mark on Saturday.
Even as the Delhi Government tried to douse the panic over floodwaters entering the city and the State Irrigation and Flood Control Department continued vigil, experts said the government, instead of “underplaying” the situation, should take quick remedial measures. Delhi would be in the grip of a severe flood if the water level reaches 207 metres, they cautioned.
“The flood level at the Old Railway Bridge at 6 p.m. on Friday was 206.03 metres. It is the first time after 1995 that the level has crossed 206 metres. The situation in Delhi remains one of concern despite a breach of over 250 metres in an embankment at Patthargarh upstream of Panipat, which has inundated a large number of villages in Haryana,” said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, a non-governmental organisation. Though the breach reduced the volume of water in the river, the water would eventually flow back into the river.
He said the seriousness of the situation would become evident on Saturday, depending on whether or not the level touches the 207-metre mark.
“Since the Administration is aware which areas of the city are vulnerable, it must take immediate steps to ensure that people there are taken care of. There are several areas where water will rush in, and that is where the action should shift. This is not the time for panic, but this is also not the time for a false sense of security,” Mr. Misra said.
“No danger”
Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan denied any danger of floods and said the Yamuna “does not have the [quantum of] water to cause floods.”
The government also quelled fears of floods by pointing out that unlike in 1978 when the city was flooded, this time round the embankments are much higher, thereby reducing the impact of the river in spate.
Mr. Chauhan, who visited the flood-affected areas of Qudsia Park, Boat Club, Sonia Vihar, Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur Pusta, Jagatpur Village and Shastri Nagar, also inspected the camps in the low-level areas.
He said the level of the Yamuna was expected to rise up to 206.55 metres and remain stable. An alert was sounded, and those living in the low-level areas were being asked to shift to safer locations.
As part of the relief work, the government has positioned 72 boats on the riverside, besides 68 divers and boatmen. A team of the National Disaster Relief Force has also been deployed near ISBT.
The areas that were flooded in 1978 and continue to face the threat are the low-level colonies of ISBT, Batla House, Garhi Mandu, Majnu Ka Tila, Yamuna Bazar, Sonia Vihar, Jagatpur Village, Nigambodh Ghat, Shastri Park, Madanpur Khadar, ITO, Raj Ghat, Darya Ganj, Model Town and Mukherjee Nagar.
Bridge closed, trains cancelled
Rail traffic over the Old Yamuna Bridge was temporarily suspended at 5 p.m. on Friday in view of the sharp rise in the level of the Yamuna. As a result, seven trains were cancelled, 24 trains diverted and 28 short-terminated.
YAMUNA FLOODS YAMUNA BAZAR: A resident of Yamuna Bazar in the Capital inches his way to a safer place on Friday as flood waters of the Yamuna enter low-lying areas of Delhi.
There was no relief from the floods for the Capital on Friday as the Yamuna kept swelling, flowing above the danger mark of 204.83 metres at the Old Railway Bridge. At 6 p.m. the river crossed the 206-metre mark, fuelling fears that it would reach the dreaded 207-metre mark on Saturday.
Even as the Delhi Government tried to douse the panic over floodwaters entering the city and the State Irrigation and Flood Control Department continued vigil, experts said the government, instead of “underplaying” the situation, should take quick remedial measures. Delhi would be in the grip of a severe flood if the water level reaches 207 metres, they cautioned.
“The flood level at the Old Railway Bridge at 6 p.m. on Friday was 206.03 metres. It is the first time after 1995 that the level has crossed 206 metres. The situation in Delhi remains one of concern despite a breach of over 250 metres in an embankment at Patthargarh upstream of Panipat, which has inundated a large number of villages in Haryana,” said Manoj Misra of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, a non-governmental organisation. Though the breach reduced the volume of water in the river, the water would eventually flow back into the river.
He said the seriousness of the situation would become evident on Saturday, depending on whether or not the level touches the 207-metre mark.
“Since the Administration is aware which areas of the city are vulnerable, it must take immediate steps to ensure that people there are taken care of. There are several areas where water will rush in, and that is where the action should shift. This is not the time for panic, but this is also not the time for a false sense of security,” Mr. Misra said.
“No danger”
Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan denied any danger of floods and said the Yamuna “does not have the [quantum of] water to cause floods.”
The government also quelled fears of floods by pointing out that unlike in 1978 when the city was flooded, this time round the embankments are much higher, thereby reducing the impact of the river in spate.
Mr. Chauhan, who visited the flood-affected areas of Qudsia Park, Boat Club, Sonia Vihar, Garhi Mandu, Usmanpur Pusta, Jagatpur Village and Shastri Nagar, also inspected the camps in the low-level areas.
He said the level of the Yamuna was expected to rise up to 206.55 metres and remain stable. An alert was sounded, and those living in the low-level areas were being asked to shift to safer locations.
As part of the relief work, the government has positioned 72 boats on the riverside, besides 68 divers and boatmen. A team of the National Disaster Relief Force has also been deployed near ISBT.
The areas that were flooded in 1978 and continue to face the threat are the low-level colonies of ISBT, Batla House, Garhi Mandu, Majnu Ka Tila, Yamuna Bazar, Sonia Vihar, Jagatpur Village, Nigambodh Ghat, Shastri Park, Madanpur Khadar, ITO, Raj Ghat, Darya Ganj, Model Town and Mukherjee Nagar.
Bridge closed, trains cancelled
Rail traffic over the Old Yamuna Bridge was temporarily suspended at 5 p.m. on Friday in view of the sharp rise in the level of the Yamuna. As a result, seven trains were cancelled, 24 trains diverted and 28 short-terminated.
YAMUNA FLOODS YAMUNA BAZAR: A resident of Yamuna Bazar in the Capital inches his way to a safer place on Friday as flood waters of the Yamuna enter low-lying areas of Delhi.
Wide breach in Yamuna floods Panipat villages (Hindu 11 September 2010)
CHANDIGARH: Six villages -- Pathergarh, Sonali Kalan, Samsabad, Dhamshali and Babain -- in Panipat district of Haryana have been affected by floods due to a 80-feet breach in the Yamuna at Pathergarh.
Confirming this on Friday, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Irrigation) S.S. Dhillon said crops over an area of 2,500 acres had been affected due to the breach. JCB machines have been pressed into service for rescue work in Panipat.
While reiterating Haryana's stand on Hathni Kund being a barrage and not a dam, he asserted that the State had not released any water as was being mentioned in some quarters. Rather, the water from the barrage “flows down with the natural flow''.
He further said that the water had receded considerably in the Yamuna. Giving figures, he said that 7.07 lakh cusecs of water was flowing in Hathni Kund on September 8 which came down to 2.64 lakh cusecs on September 9 and was pegged at 74,000 cusecs on Friday afternoon and is expected to reduce further.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman said the Yamuna had caused widespread flooding due to heavy rain in its catchment area and its tributaries on September 7 and 8. Accordingly, all the villages falling along the river in the State were warned about the “flood threat''.
He further disclosed that the discharge in the Yamuna had increased abruptly from 30,000 cusecs on September 7 to 330,000 cusecs on September 8 which further increased to a peak discharge of 6,07,000 cusecs at Hathni Kund Barrage.
Due to heavy rain in Bilaspur and Chhachhrauli area of Yamunanagar district, an additional 100,000 cusecs was received in the Somb and Pathrala rivers which further added to the flow in the Yamuna. Accordingly, peak discharge in the Yamuna was 707,000 cusecs on September 8.
About 97 villages in Sadhaura, Bilaspur, Chachrauli and Radaur blocks are flood-affected and agricultural land in 22 villages is submerged in water.
Even though flood waters of the Yamuna spilled into 12 villages in Karnal district, no damage was reported from the abadi area. He further said that the Palwal district authorities had evacuated two villages-- Indra Nagar and Mobali Pur -- and shifted the people to safe places.
The Sonepat and Panipat district authorities have also taken precautionary measures to tackle any situation.
Confirming this on Friday, Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary (Irrigation) S.S. Dhillon said crops over an area of 2,500 acres had been affected due to the breach. JCB machines have been pressed into service for rescue work in Panipat.
While reiterating Haryana's stand on Hathni Kund being a barrage and not a dam, he asserted that the State had not released any water as was being mentioned in some quarters. Rather, the water from the barrage “flows down with the natural flow''.
He further said that the water had receded considerably in the Yamuna. Giving figures, he said that 7.07 lakh cusecs of water was flowing in Hathni Kund on September 8 which came down to 2.64 lakh cusecs on September 9 and was pegged at 74,000 cusecs on Friday afternoon and is expected to reduce further.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman said the Yamuna had caused widespread flooding due to heavy rain in its catchment area and its tributaries on September 7 and 8. Accordingly, all the villages falling along the river in the State were warned about the “flood threat''.
He further disclosed that the discharge in the Yamuna had increased abruptly from 30,000 cusecs on September 7 to 330,000 cusecs on September 8 which further increased to a peak discharge of 6,07,000 cusecs at Hathni Kund Barrage.
Due to heavy rain in Bilaspur and Chhachhrauli area of Yamunanagar district, an additional 100,000 cusecs was received in the Somb and Pathrala rivers which further added to the flow in the Yamuna. Accordingly, peak discharge in the Yamuna was 707,000 cusecs on September 8.
About 97 villages in Sadhaura, Bilaspur, Chachrauli and Radaur blocks are flood-affected and agricultural land in 22 villages is submerged in water.
Even though flood waters of the Yamuna spilled into 12 villages in Karnal district, no damage was reported from the abadi area. He further said that the Palwal district authorities had evacuated two villages-- Indra Nagar and Mobali Pur -- and shifted the people to safe places.
The Sonepat and Panipat district authorities have also taken precautionary measures to tackle any situation.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Shivalik Hills to be notified as inter-State biosphere reserve (Hindu 07 September 2010)
Union Minister for Environment and Forests
CHANDIGARH: Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Monday said that Shivalik Hills would be notified as the country's first inter-State biosphere reserve with the setting up of a bio-diversity corridor there to protect its natural habitat, flora and fauna.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the sixth edition of a three-day national meeting of State Bio-diversity Boards, he said the corridor would pass through Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
He said the Shivalik Hills had a cultural and geological importance and that the area had been damaged by unregulated mining of sand and stone. Surely the sand and stone mining mafias would protest the move but it should not be misconstrued as prohibitory; rather it was regulatory, he added.
“We will not stop mining but follow a sustainable approach towards it. There would be a monitoring committee to draft a bio-diversity plan and only then we would allow any economic activity in the area and share the fruits of these bio resources among the people,” Mr. Ramesh said.
Addressing the audience at the event he underlined the need to make optimum use of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), Geographical Indications (GIs) and People's Bio-diversity Registers to prevent the firms and companies within the country and abroad to get our bio resources patented. “Bio-piracy, which is gradually robbing India of its precious assets and rich bio-diversity, has emerged as one of the biggest concerns before the Union Environment and Forests Ministry,” he added. “Recently the US tried to get the patent of our basmati rice with a different name and many other products of neem and haldi, of immense value, facing similar threats. Every year hundreds of patents are being granted in the US and in Europe. Therefore, to save our original products, we had established ‘traditional knowledge digital library'. We have also signed agreements with the US and European patent offices to save our intellectual property rights,” he said.
“Indian culture is not written, it is in an oral form that is conveyed from one generation to another. But modern society is based on written form. Therefore, to avoid various violations, we have started writing down that is called people bio-diversity register. States like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have already started it,” said Mr. Ramesh.
CHANDIGARH: Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh on Monday said that Shivalik Hills would be notified as the country's first inter-State biosphere reserve with the setting up of a bio-diversity corridor there to protect its natural habitat, flora and fauna.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the sixth edition of a three-day national meeting of State Bio-diversity Boards, he said the corridor would pass through Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
He said the Shivalik Hills had a cultural and geological importance and that the area had been damaged by unregulated mining of sand and stone. Surely the sand and stone mining mafias would protest the move but it should not be misconstrued as prohibitory; rather it was regulatory, he added.
“We will not stop mining but follow a sustainable approach towards it. There would be a monitoring committee to draft a bio-diversity plan and only then we would allow any economic activity in the area and share the fruits of these bio resources among the people,” Mr. Ramesh said.
Addressing the audience at the event he underlined the need to make optimum use of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), Geographical Indications (GIs) and People's Bio-diversity Registers to prevent the firms and companies within the country and abroad to get our bio resources patented. “Bio-piracy, which is gradually robbing India of its precious assets and rich bio-diversity, has emerged as one of the biggest concerns before the Union Environment and Forests Ministry,” he added. “Recently the US tried to get the patent of our basmati rice with a different name and many other products of neem and haldi, of immense value, facing similar threats. Every year hundreds of patents are being granted in the US and in Europe. Therefore, to save our original products, we had established ‘traditional knowledge digital library'. We have also signed agreements with the US and European patent offices to save our intellectual property rights,” he said.
“Indian culture is not written, it is in an oral form that is conveyed from one generation to another. But modern society is based on written form. Therefore, to avoid various violations, we have started writing down that is called people bio-diversity register. States like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have already started it,” said Mr. Ramesh.
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