After 100+ hours, Hathnikund barrage closed

After around 100 hours of uncontrolled water flow from Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana’s Yamunanagar, the flood gates were closed on Thursday evening around 6 as the water levels receded.

All gates of the barrage were opened on Sunday as the Yamuna water levels rose above the 1 lakh cusecs-mark, and touched 3,20,893 cusecs on Tuesday.

The closing of the floodgates will come as a major relief for several districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi along the Yamuna river, where the overflowing water wreaked havoc over the last few days.

Officials said the gates of the barrage are opened at 1 lakh cusecs mark and gates of Western Jamuna and Eastern Jamuna canals are closed simultaneously. Following the discharge, the water usually enters low-lying areas of Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat and Sonepat districts of Haryana. It takes 48 to 72 hours for the water flow to reach Delhi.

Flooding in catchment areas

Even though the water in Yamuna receded due to the release from Hathinikund barrage, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in the belt and water flowing from other rivers and drains brought the water levels up, causing flooding in the catchments areas.

The Yamuna river has flooded around 50 villages of Karnal, Panipat and Sonepat districts and submerged over 1 lakh acres of standing crops in this area.

Officials monitoring the flow of the river said that excess water from cities, towns and hundreds of villages located in Yamuna belt was also discharged into the river.

As per reports, the water level of Somb river and Pathrala river, which originate from Shivalik hills near Yamunanagar, also caused a rise in the water of Yamuna. As per officials, the water in Somb river was measured at 5,900 cusecs at Gadhwali bridge while in Pathrala river, it was 1440 cusecs on Thursday.

There are also reports that the water from overflowing canals, especially from the Dhanaura escape canal, also get mixed in the Yamuna near Karnal. Besides, there are three ditch drains which flows rainwater and other discharge from industrial cities of Panipat and Sonepat into the Yamuna.

854 Haryana villages affected

Meanwhile, lakhs of people were affected as flood water reached around 854 villages and towns in 11 districts of the state and damaged crops on around 1.24 lakh hectares.

The flood water of Yamuna, Tangri, Ghaggar and Markanda rivers has reached to over 105 villages in the past 24 hours and spread to Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Panipat, Sonepat, Panchkula, Jhajjar and Yamunanagar districts. With five deaths reported in the state in the past 24 hours, the toll reached 16 (see box).

Water from the Yamuna, Ghaggar and Markanda rivers have entered around 300 villages of Karnal, Kurukshetra and Kaithal districts, forcing the authorities to evacuate people from affected areas.

Karnal divisional commissioner Saket Kumar, while holding a review meeting, asked for a report regarding shifting of affected people to safer places. Deputy commissioner Anish Yadav said that people in low-lying areas, camps and fields have been shifted to other areas. The administration has arranged 1,500 beds in different dharamshalas in Karnal.

Kurukshetra deputy commissioner (DC) Shantanu Sharma said the administration is fully prepared and is rescuing people from flooded-hit areas. He said people have been advised to avoid movement on the Kaithal-Cheeka-Patiala road which has been ravaged by the floods.

Krishan Kumar, a farmer of Shahbad, said, “We don’t know when this water will recede. There is no relief in sight.”

In Kaithal, water from the overflowing Ghaggar river and Hansi Butana canal has flooded around 10 villages and damaged 20,000 acres of standing corps of several villages located on Haryana-Punjab border. Two NDRF teams have been deputed for rescue operations in the district. DC Jagdish Sharma said the NDRF and Army are monitoring the situation closely. Kaithal administration claimed the Ghaggar water levels have started receding and has come down to 28-feet from 29-feet on Thursday.

Kurukshetra MP Nayab Saini had to face protest from residents when he went to meet flood victims of his constituency. He urged people to have patience as the government was committed to assist them during the crises.

In Panipat, the district administration has taken steps to plug the breach in the Tamshabad as officials said the breach will be plugged soon as the water has receded. Panipat DC Virender Kumar said officials have been deputed to plug the breach.

In Sonepat, flood water has entered Jhajal Tonki, Manoli, Aasadpur Garhi villages. Jajjal Tonki village has been completely disconnected from the surrounding villages due to Yamuna water breach, leading to complete inundation.

Sonepat DC Lalit Siwach said they are working on ‘war-footing’ and teams are providing ration to residents through boats.

“The water level in Yamuna started decreasing and we hope the situation will be normal in the next two to three days. The residents of three villages, adjoining the Yamuna were worst affected and people of two villages Manoli Tonki and Asadpur Garhi, have been shifted to safe places and the residents of Jajjal Tonki are safe,” the DC added.

Residents are also struggling to bring fodder and other items from outside.

Sombir Singh, a resident of Jajjal Tonki, said they have sufficient ration and food items but the situation could worsen if the water does not settle down. “Elderly people are struggling the most. We are also having problems in finding fodder for the cattle.”

In Ambala City, DC Shaleen, SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawa and other officials inspected the water levels and relief operations in villages still under water in Naggal belt.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed two Medium Lift Helicopters (MLH) for flood relief operation that have so far dropped around 2000 kg of relief material comprising of water bottles, ration and tarpaulin sheets in the Niharsa, Allaudin Majra and adjoining villages of the belt.

SP Jashandeep Singh Randhawas said, “NH-152 (Hisar-Chandigarh) remains partially closed in Ambala for the fifth day due to flooding and might be thrown open for traffic movement on Friday after some road repair in coordination with the NHAI.”

In Cantt, seasonal river Tangri started overflowing again and the levels rose from 2000 cusecs on Wednesday to 18000 cusecs on Thursday, well before the danger mark of around 13000 cusecs.

Satinder Siwach, SDM, Cantt, said, “The water entered low-lying areas along the river, Rampur, Sarsehri and others. At the Industrial Area, there is still 2-3 feet of water. However, there will be no increase in the levels by night or Friday morning.”

Days into irregular power supply due to floods in Ambala, several residents with support from deputy mayor Rajesh Mehta, HJCP councillors, Congress and AAP leaders protested in Ghas Mandi area of City.

Alleging apathy on supplying electricity even when the water has receded in almost all pockets of urban areas, the protestors allegedly blocked a road and locked the office of SDO West. The protestors were detained from the spot.

SDO Joginder Singh said that while he and the employees were working inside, the men forcefully moved them outside to lock the office.

The act obstructed them in improving the power supply, snapped due to flooding, Singh added.

On his complaint, a case was registered against 12 men including Mehta, two councillors and husband of a councillor at Ambala City police station. They were arrested and later released.

Later, DC also chaired a meeting to monitor flood relief operations and instructed the Discom officials to ensure early regulation of supply.

He was told that power can’t be supplied in flooded villages, while efforts are being made to regulate supply in other areas.

Saket Kumar, MD, UHBVN also visited Dhulkot power house, two sub-stations and other facilities of the district to inspect the drainage of water that are still filled with 2-3 feet of water.