Rising water levels in Yamuna: Govt prepared and on high alert, says Verma

Amid the rise in Yamuna’s water levels, Delhi Minister Parvesh Verma on Tuesday assured the people that the government was prepared and alert to the situation, and was personally reviewing coordination with all the departments concerned.

Verma said that the national capital cannot be left vulnerable to the forces of nature, and the government departments are working on a war footing, with 24-hour duty.

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He informed that starting from the barrages to pumping stations, every mechanism in the city is under strict monitoring, while he is personally reviewing coordination with the Delhi Jal Board, Central Water Commission (CWC), and the Haryana government regarding the current situation.

Verma informed that he has directed all District Magistrates — particularly in South West, South East, South, and Central Delhi — to stay fully prepared with contingency plans.

The minister informed that special attention is being given to the Najafgarh Basin, where additional safeguards are in place, adding that people of the city can rest assured that the government is fully prepared to meet any flood situation.

Meanwhile, the state government has activated a comprehensive flood preparedness plan to protect citizens and infrastructure during the ongoing monsoon season.

All the departments concerned have been placed on a high alert with manpower, machinery, and monitoring systems deployed across the capital.

To ensure swift response, the I&FC Department has stationed senior and junior officers in every jurisdiction, with deployments including two Chief Engineers, five Superintending Engineers, and 20 Executive Engineers.

He said that all the Assistant Engineers (AEs) and Junior Engineers (JEs) are on duty, and remain at their respective sites and are available round-the-clock to handle emergencies.

As crucial flood fighting measures, the government has pre-positioned large quantities of resources to tackle possible flooding that include 567200 EC Bags, 3455 large stones, 58 boats, 675 life jackets, and other materials.

The government has also readied ten fixed pumping stations, equipped with 42 pumps, while 82 mobile pumps have been stationed across the vulnerable spots.

The DJB has deployed staff on flood duty to manage water discharge and ensure smooth drainage, the water board’s teams are working in close coordination with the I&FC department and the Central Water Commission (CWC) to prevent waterlogging and ensure uninterrupted flow.

The government is continuously monitoring water discharge from HathniKund Barrage, Wazirabad Barrage, and Okhla Barrage.

Information flow is being maintained between the Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) Department, DJB, CWC, and the Government of Haryana for timely alerts and quick action

Verma chaired review meetings with District Magistrates of South West, South East, South, and Central Delhi, directing them to stay on maximum alert during the flood season, while instructing them to ensure that relief material, evacuation centres, and quick-response teams remain fully prepared.