Chandigarh, Sep 1 (PTI) Rains lashed several parts of Haryana on Monday, with authorities sounding an alert for more showers in the coming days.
Incessant rains over the past few days led to an increase in the water levels of some rivers, including the Yamuna on Monday, prompting authorities to open the floodgates of the Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar district.
As a precautionary measure, schools have been ordered to remain closed on Tuesday in some affected areas.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini Monday evening held a meeting with deputy commissioners through video conferencing, reviewed the rain and flood situation across the state, and gave necessary directions to the district administrations.
The chief minister asked the officials to ensure that districts with school closure orders are “completely closed” Saini directed that people coming into Haryana from flood-affected Punjab should immediately be provided arrangements for shelter, food, and other necessary facilities, according to a statement.
There should be adequate storage of food grains and timely availability of meals, along with proper arrangements for fodder for animals, he said.
According to the Met office here, Ambala, Hisar, Narnaul, Rohtak, Gurugram, Nuh, Palwal, Panchkula, Sirsa received rains during the day.
The Met forecast said that a spell of widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places is likely over Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh during the next 24-36 hours.
The monsoon has been “vigorous” over the two states and Chandigarh since Sunday, it said.
An irrigation department official in Yamunanagar said the Hathnikund barrage discharged 3,29,313 cusec of water at 9 am. The flow of water in the Yamuna at the Hathnikund barrage on Monday was the highest recorded so far this monsoon.
Any flow exceeding 2.5 lakh cusecs is classified as a “high flood,” the official said.
Water released from the barrage typically takes around 48 hours to reach Delhi. Officials said an alert has been sounded and a strict vigil is being kept on villages falling in the catchment areas of the Yamuna in the district and some other districts including Panipat, Sonipat and Faridabad.
During the meeting which was also attended by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi and other senior officers of the state government, Saini gave instructions that continuous monitoring should be kept on waterlogging in fields and remote areas as well as on the water level of rivers.
Directing the Health Department to remain on alert, the Chief Minister said all hospitals and mobile medical teams must ensure adequate availability of medicines, ORS, vaccines, and ambulance services.
Similarly, the Animal Husbandry Department was directed to ensure fodder, medicines, vaccination, and active veterinary teams in the affected areas.
Saini instructed that Haryana Disaster Relief Force (HDRF) should be kept on alert.
Meanwhile, in view of more heavy rainfall prediction, the Haryana government on Monday directed all field officers to remain at their headquarters and maintain strict vigilance till September 5.
Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, in a letter addressed to all divisional commissioners, range inspector generals of police, additional DGPs, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, and sub-divisional magistrates, stated that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated the possibility of flooding due heavy rainfall in the coming days.
Therefore, during this period, no officer shall be granted leave without the approval of the chief secretary or the additional chief Secretary, home department, the letter stated.
Due to heavy rains in Ambala and surrounding areas since Sunday night, there were reports of water logging in some villages.
The district administration and the irrigation department were keeping a close eye on the situation. The water level in Ghaggar and Markanda rivers near Ambala was increasing.
The swollen Markanda river overflowed into Hema Majra village of Mullana area in Ambala. The farmers of the village said floodwaters can harm their paddy and sugarcane crops.
Several districts in neighbouring Punjab are also gripped by floods as Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets are in spate, following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. PTI SUN SKY SKY
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