Yamuna still above danger mark, Dikshit visits relief camps

NEW DELHI - The water level in the Yamuna river continued to rise Wednesday and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit sought to ensure that the government was geared to tackle any situation as she visited camps for people evacuated from low-lying areas.

As a precautionary measure, a key bridge over the Yamuna linking the capital with its populous eastern district was shut as the river waters rose menacingly, causing huge traffic jams.

An official in the flood control department told IANS that the water level of the river is currently 205.95 metres and is expected to rise further.

He said the water level continued to rise by a centimetre every hour, from 205.92 metres at noon to 205.95 metres at 3 p.m. Wednesday, the fifth consecutive day when the Yamuna was flowing above the danger mark.

The river crossed the danger level of 204.8 metres late Friday.

Meanwhile, Dikshit along with Flood Control Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, inspected the nearly 150 camps put up near Usmanpur-II where almost 650 people have been housed, and said the situation was being monitored round-the-clock.

She said there was no need to panic as all the precautionary measures have been put in place.

The chief minister also asked government officials to make sure that adequate supply of food items, medical facilities and proper lighting are provided in the camps.

She said the families will remain in the camps till the situation returns to normal.

Earlier, speaking on the sidelines of a function, Dikshit told reporters that though rains are causing problems, it is good that Delhi has received such a downpour in nearly 10 years.

“It is good that god has gifted much rains to Delhi in nearly a decade,” she said.

The city is witnessing incessant rains in the past five days and coupled with release of water from the Hathnikund barrage upstream in Haryana, it has led to rise in the water level of the Yamuna.

Chauhan said about 150 technical staff members are monitoring the level of the Yamuna and 63 boats along with divers and a team of disaster management force have been deployed near the banks of the river to take stock of the situation on a regular basis.

Camps have been set up in Usmanpur, Garhimandu, Badarpur Khadar, ISBT bridge, Shakarpur, Akshardham temple, old Yamuna bridge, Geeta Colony and Okhla to cater to the affected people.