Yamuna, Chambal rising, administration on alert
AGRA Devotees are gathering at Itimad-ud-daula View Point on the banks of the Yamuna and offering daily ‘aarti’ to the river which is swollen these days. It is a rare view for those who have for long been demanding constant flow of water in the river, on the banks of which the historical city of Agra is located.
Despite this welcome change, there is also concern as flood threat lurks. The river is flowing at 491.4 feet, a little below the danger mark of 495 feet. The Chambal river in the rural belt is also rising. So the district administration has started taking measures to counter flood threat.
District magistrate Prabhu N
Singh visited Pinahat area on Tuesday and assessed the situation on the banks of the Chambal.
“The water level is on the rise in Chambal, although it is yet to touch the 128-metre mark. It had gone up to 136 metres in 2019 and that had marooned at least five villages. We are on the alert as the water is expected to rise further,” the DM said.
River Chambal flows in the border areas of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Good rain in the region had caused its water level to rise, said a villager living in one of the villages on the bank of the Chambal.
The danger level in Chambal is at 130 metres and presently the water level is yet to touch the 128-metre mark. The administration is taking measures to meet the situation if the water level rises further.
“Our concern is to save precious human livese and minimize losses in case of flood,” said the DM.
Meanwhile, water is being released in river Yamuna from various dams, including include Gokul Barrage in Mathura, Okhla Barrage in Delhi and Tajewala barrage of Hathini Kund in Haryana. The administration is keeping a watch on low-lying areas and planning future strategy.