Delhi govt. sets up 24x7 flood control room to avoid ‘any possibility of flood’

A round-the-clock flood control room that will monitor real-time data from the Hathnikund barrage has been set up by the Delhi government, said Ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday.

The flood control room will be monitored by various civic agencies, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority, and the New Delhi Municipal Council, said the Aam Aadmi Party leaders.

The Delhi government is taking active measures to avoid an emergency like the one the Capital faced last year, when the Yamuna breached its flood plains and rose to its highest level in 70 years, said Atishi.

“We are gearing up to tackle any possibility of floods. The control room is in touch with officials at the Hathnikund barrage, from where the Yamuna river discharge is received. After the release of one lakh cusecs of water, the relief and rescue machinery will be put into place,” she said.

The Ministers added that the decision was made following a meeting of the apex committee on supervising, recommending and coordinating flood control measures in Delhi. The meeting included officials from the NDRF, police, Army, and all departments of the Delhi government.

‘Laughable claims’

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the Ms. Atishi’s claims of controlling floods were “laughable and hollow”.

“Atishi, who is also responsible for the Delhi Jal Board, made grand promises of uninterrupted water supply throughout the summer, but by June, she was proven false after a severe water crisis broke out. Following this, she made claims about cleaning drains and ensuring an efficient water drainage system during the monsoon. That lie was also revealed when the city received its first rain on June 28,” he said.

Mr. Sachdeva said that after experiencing the result of the Minister’s “claims” first-hand, the people of Delhi are “astonished” at the promises of the flood control room. “How can a government that makes false promises serve another bowl of lies to the public for a third time,” he asked.