Due to the release of water from Haryana’s Hathnikund Barrage, several parts of Delhi have been flooded as the Yamuna River rises to 208.62 meters at the Old Delhi Railway Bridge. This is 3.29 meters above the danger mark. In response, Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and urge Haryana to regulate the water flow. However, countering CM Kejriwal’s allegations, Haryana on Thursday said that Hathnikund is a barrage and not a dam, making it technically difficult to control the amount of water flow. (Follow Delhi Flood News Live Updates)
“The Delhi Chief Minister’s claim that Yamuna’s water level has risen due to the release of surplus water from the Hathnikund Barrage is absolutely false. It appears that his officers did not inform him of the accurate details. The letter written by Arvind Kejriwal to the Union Home Minister in this regard holds no significance,” said Devender Singh, Advisor (Irrigation) to the Chief Minister Haryana in a statement.
ALSO READ: Why is Delhi flooded? Encroachment of floodplains, extreme rainfall | Explained
He added that the structure at Hathnikund is a Barrage designed to divert/regulate the water. Only a dam, not a barrage, can control water in limited quantities.
“Following the Central Water Commission’s recommendations, the water discharged into the Yamuna River, for the protection of the Hathnikund barrage, is the water that is constantly coming from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand due to excessive rains,” he said.
The statement from the Haryana’s official further added that due to rainwater, land erosion and water-logging have occurred in Yamunanagar, Karnal, Panipat and Sonipat, due to which Haryana has to bear a heavy loss of life and property. “If there was any option to release water in limited quantities, it would have been in the interest of Haryana too,” he added.
‘If an attempt is made to stop water, it can damage all gates of barrage’
The Hathnikund Barrage was designed by the Central Water Commission (CWC). According to the guidelines of the CWC, when more than 1 lakh cusecs of water come into it, the water automatically goes into the Yamuna River, the official said, adding that if an attempt is made to stop the water coming into the barrage, it can damage all the gates of the barrage and this water can turn into a fierce flood and cause huge destruction in Haryana and Delhi.
Latest updates on water release from Hathnikund Barrage
As per the latest updates, after being open for over 100 hours, the floodgates at Hathnikund Barrage have been closed. The water levels have decreased below 1 lakh and were recorded at 88,000 at 4 pm. On Sunday, all the gates at the barrage were opened around 3 pm due to heavy rainfall in the catchment area, which resulted in the water levels crossing the 1 lakh mark.
What is Hatnikund Barrage?
Hathnikund Barrage is a barrage located in Yamunanagar on the Yamuna River. This barrage was built between 1998 and 2000 to replace the earlier Tajewala Barrage. The structure barrage located at Hathnikund supplies to the partner states as per the 1994 agreement/memorandum.
