Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday evening chaired an emergency meeting with all stakeholder departments after the neighboring state Haryana released 5 lakh cusecs of water from the Hathni Kund Barrage. The water is likely to reach Delhi by Sunday evening.

The CM, along with the Deputy CM and Health and Urban Development Minister, reviewed the preparedness of the departments in case water enters the low-lying, vulnerable areas of Delhi.

All the departments informed the CM that they were prepared and were on alert for any such situation. They informed that the quick response teams (QRTs) have also been activated for any emergency in this regard.

Kejriwal directed that the Control Room Emergency Number 1077 must be advertised so that it reaches people at the earliest and that people in general would be able to call 1077 for any flood-related emergency.

The agencies concerned informed the CM that the process of evacuation in the vulnerable areas has already started and they have begun putting up tents to shift the people being evacuated.

Kejriwal said the supply of power, good food and drinking water to these affected people must be ensured and no stone should be left unturned to take care of them. Emergency medical teams would also be on duty for the people being shifted for any kind of medical emergencies.

The Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has been asked to activate and place their mobile toilet vans around the tents being put up at the earliest. Kejriwal asked the officials concerned to reach out to people in these areas and inform them about the evacuation and its reasons pro-actively.

The education department and MCDs have been asked to be ready to provide the school space in these areas for people to be shifted if the situation demands. The DUSIB has also been asked to chip in with their centres where people can be accommodated if required.

All power companies have been asked to arrange power in these tents once people are shifted there. The power companies have been asked to deploy their officials at the Flood Control Room also round the clock.

The Army was also requested to be on stand-by for any emergency, and they have responded in affirmative.

The availability of motorboats was also discussed. All the agencies having motorboats were asked to keep them ready for evacuation of affected people.

The meeting was attended by the MLAs of the vulnerable areas, Chief Secretary, officials of Delhi Police, DUSIB, UD, irrigation and flood control, Army, MCDs, PWD, DJB, CATS, Health, Revenue, DDMA and other stakeholder departments.