Water released from Himachal has reduced, will impact Yamuna: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat has informed him that the volume of water being released to Haryana from Himachal Pradesh has reduced, which in turn will impact the water level in the Yamuna.

However, he said it will take some time for the water level in the river to recede.

The Yamuna in Delhi swelled to 207.71 metres at 4 pm on Wednesday, breaching its all-time record of 207.49 metres set in 1978, flooding several areas and prompting Kejriwal to call an emergency meeting on the situation.

In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Kejriwal requested that "if possible, the water from the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana be released in limited speed" and pointed out that Delhi is set to host the G20 Summit meeting in a few weeks.

"Following my letter, I got a call from Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who said that Hathnikund is just a barrage and there is no reservoir to store water and limit the water speed. The water volume being released from Himachal Pradesh has reduced and the situation will improve. But it will take time to reflect in the water level of the Yamuna," he said at a press conference after the meeting.

Following the meeting, Kejriwal had said that the focus at the moment is to protect lives.

"Please vacate your houses. We have also been seeing that some people are going to watch the swollen river. Please don't go there to click selfies," he urged the people.

He said Boat Club, Monastery Market, Neeli Chhatri Temple, Yamuna Bazar, Neem Karoli gaushala, Vishwakarma Colony, the stretch between Majnu ka Tila and Wazirabad have been submerged.

The chief minister also said that Delhi government has informed NDRF that its help may be sought.

District magistrates have also been directed to convert schools into relief camps, if needed, he said.