"If water level in Yamuna rises, Delhi govt ready to deal," says Delhi water Minister Atishi

New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): After Delhi was lashed with record-breaking rainfall last week which caused loss of lives and severe water-logging in the region, Ministers of the Delhi Government Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi held an Apex Committee meeting at the Delhi Secretariat over flood control in the national capital on Friday and said that the Delhi government is ready to deal with rise in Yamuna water level.
Addressing media persons in a press conference, the Delhi Water Minister Atishi said, "To review the preparedness of emergency services and the flood control department, we had a meeting with the flood department, Public Works Department (PWD), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Cantonment Board, NDMC, Delhi Traffic Police and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and each of the units gave their input."
On the Delhi Government's preparedness for the flood, Atishi stated, "We reviewed the preparations of all concerned departments whether DDA or MCD regarding flood relief, flood evacuation and flood control. We hope that the flood situation doesn't occur in Delhi. But, if the water level in Yamuna rises, the Delhi government is ready to deal with that."
On Haryana's Hathinikund Barrage water level, she further stated, "We are constantly monitoring the weather predictions of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and for the last 2 days, Himachal Pradesh has been constantly receiving rainfall. When it rains in Himachal Pradesh, the water level in Hathinikund Barrage (Haryana) also increases, which leads to an increase in the water level of Yamuna in Delhi. But right now, there is limited discharge from this barrage. Currently, the discharge at Hathinikund Barrage is around 350 cusecs, the flood situation arises when it crosses the level of 1,00,000 cusecs."
Adding to it, she asserted that the Delhi government has constituted a 24*7 control room for flood operations to monitor the water level in the Hathinikund Barrage and weather predictions of IMD.
"If there are any chances of floods in Delhi, the government is preparing to tackle the situation. We have constituted a 24*7 control room for floods under the leadership of DM East Delhi in his office. The officials of concerned departments are deployed 24*7 in the control room and they are constantly in touch with the officials of the Haryana Irrigation Department. They are also monitoring the water level in the Hathinikund Barrage and weather predictions of IMD," said Atishi.
Atishi also mentioned that the concerned departments had conveyed the deployment of their flood-related equipment at different places to the Apex Committee in a meeting. She said, "If the water level at Hathinikund Barrage crosses the level of 1,00,000 cusecs, then the relief and rescue machinery of the flood department will be operational. We also had a meeting with the NDRF, which plays an important role in relief and rescue operations. The concerned departments also conveyed the deployment of their flood-related equipment at different places to the Apex Committee."
Earlier, on Wednesday, Delhi Minister Atishi inspected the Centralized Monsoon Control Room of the Public Works Department (PWD) to assess the waterlogging situation in the city.
"Amidst the rain in Delhi, inspected the Centralized Monsoon Control Room located at PWD Headquarters today," Atishi posted on X.
Atishi further said that the control room has kept a strict vigil on all the places with severe waterlogging across the city through CCTV.
"The ground staff is also constantly inspecting the places with possible waterlogging. Immediate steps are being taken to remove waterlogging from the places where complaints are coming in. Along with this, the entire process is also being monitored from the control room while following up on the complaint," she added.
People of Delhi can lodge complaints regarding waterlogging on Toll-Free No. 1800110093 or Whatsapp Chatbot No. 8130188222," she stated. (ANI)