Delhi PWD Minister Atishi and Flood Control Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj held a high-level meeting on Friday to review flood control measures in the city in the wake of the monsoon.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Bharadwaj recalled the situation last year had gone out of control in Delhi with a large amount of water released from Hathnikund Barrage as the gates of the ITO barrage could not be opened. “The level of Yamuna had risen then because of the water released from Hathnikund. This time, what we had said in the government report then is coming true with the gates of ITO barrage remaining shut, there is a surge of water in the city,” Bharadwaj said.
He said after much persuasion by the Delhi government, all the gates of the ITO barrage have been opened. As regards those found stuck and could not be opened have been cut and removed to ensure smooth flow.
Wherever small islands of silt formed in the river bed pilot cuts have been made taking the silt accumulated over years due to a decrease in the flow of the river to ensure free flow even if there is a rise in water level.
Addressing the media on the issue, Minister Atishi said last time the water level of Yamuna reached a record level causing a lot of trouble. This time, however, the government has made all the preparations to meet any eventuality with a flood control room set up in the District Magistrate office of East District, and officers from all departments posted here continuously monitoring the situation.
She said as soon as more than 1 lakh cusecs of water is released from the Hathinikund barrage, all the agencies, including the Flood Control Department, would become active, and that all the preparations were reviewed in the meeting that was held on Friday.
Officials from the NDRF also attended the meeting.
Atishi hoped there would be no flooding in Delhi this time, and even if it so happens, she assured that the Delhi government is fully prepared to tackle the same.
She further said that there has been good rainfall in Himachal Pradesh in the past two days, due to which more water is being discharged from the Hathinikund barrage, and currently 352 cusecs of water are being discharged from there. However, she said there was a possibility of flood with more than 1 lakh cusecs of water being discharged from the barrage.