In the wake of the rising water level in the Yamuna river, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday made an appeal to the people living in the low-lying areas near Yamuna floodplains to vacate.
“I request everyone to vacate their homes in the low-lying areas. There are several places affected by the rise in the level of water in Yamuna River,” Kejriwal said while addressing a press conference after chairing an emergency meeting convened in the wake of rising level of water in Yamuna.
He said the water level of the Yamuna river in the national capital has reached 207.71 metres, the highest ever.
“Delhi has not received rainfall in the last 2-3 days,” Kejriwal said.
The Delhi Chief Minister said he has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention to reduce the flow of water entering from Himachal Pradesh and Haryana in Delhi.
“Water is entering Delhi from Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. Regarding this, I have also written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting him to reduce the flow of water entering Delhi, only then we can stop the Yamuna River from overflowing,” the Delhi Chief Minister said.
Earlier, Kejriwal chaired an emergency meeting in the Secretariat over the flood situation in Delhi. Ministers, Mayor and officials from various departments were present at the meeting.
In a bid to ensure the safety of the public, Delhi Police imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in flood-prone areas of the national capital as preventive measures.
“Going with the present situation, two police stations located in flood-prone areas in North East Delhi have been ordered to shift to higher floors and other police stations in the vicinity have been instructed to be on alert as Yamuna River has breached the danger level and the water level continues to rise,” an official said.
The Delhi government has already evacuated people living in low-lying areas and shifted them to safer places at higher altitudes. Police personnel and Civil Defence Volunteers at such locations and advisories are being issued to people to keep away from the river.
Meanwhile, 2500 tents have been set up in 6 districts of the national capital to which people are being shifted. Those living in the affected areas are being shifted to these camps set up at higher places.
“If the water level of Yamuna rises, the Kejriwal government is ready to deal with every situation,” Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had on Tuesday issued an ‘orange’ rainfall alert for Delhi.