4,000 people evacuated from Yamuna floodplains in Faridabad

At least 32 areas of Faridabad are reeling under flood and water-logging resulting from a rise in Yamuna waters over the past two days. Despite the water level receding a bit on Friday, several parts of Faridabad continued to remain under water, said officials.

About 4,000 people were evacuated over the past two days from the floodplains of the Yamuna in Faridabad, the district administration said, adding that 10 teams, including one of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have been deployed in the flood-affected areas.

The most affected areas were Basantpur, Dadsia, Kidawali, Lalpur, Mauzamabad, Bhaskola, Mahavatpur, Amipur, Sidhola, Chirsi, Kabulpur Patti Mahtab, Kabulpur Patti Parvarish Village, Akbarpur, Majra Sheikhpur, Dayalpur, Manjhawali, Gursan Village, Nagla Majra Chandpur, Shahjahanpur, Shahpura, Bikuka Village, Dulipur, Natifpur, Zafarpur Majra Chhaysa, Chhaysa and Mohana, among others.

Faridabad deputy commissioner (DC) Vikram Singh on Friday urged people to work from home and to only step out when absolutely necessary.

An advisory was also issued for private offices to effect work for home for their employees. He notified that all government and private schools in inundated areas have been shut until further notice.

Singh said 2,500 people were rescued on Thursday night after waters rose in the Yamuna. “There is heavy downpour in northern Haryana and in Faridabad since the past few days. Water is also being released continuously from the barrage upstream. There is apprehension of water-logging and disruption in civic amenities in catchment areas of river Yamuna. We are visiting each village in these areas to carry out rescue operations. Our teams along with the police , NDRF and the state disaster response force were engaged in rescue operations since the past four days,” he said.

“I personally inspected Yamuna’s embankments and, at three places, the embankments were strengthened with boulders, sandbags and soil. I have ordered round-the-clock patrolling in all 32 villages and subdivisional magistrates and irrigation department officials are camping at these sites,” he said.

Yadav said hundreds of cattle were also rescued from a few cow shelters in Bhopani-Mahavatpur area. “Basantpur Colony was completely evacuated of its 1,500 inhabitants. We have also removed electricity connections from Basantpur, after talking to the district magistrate concerned from Delhi,” he said.

Officials said 25 teams of the health department were deployed in all the villages and essential medicines are being provided to locals. They are also supplying water in tankers to areas witnessing a shortage of drinking water.

Food arrangements have been made at all shelter homes, said officials.

The administration has also asked police to take strict action against people resorting to thefts.

Police said they received several complaints from different areas, including Manjhavali, that some miscreants were targeting locked houses and had stolen valuables. “We have increased patrolling in the area,” said Sube Singh, spokesperson of Faridabad police.