Uttarakhand: Alert issued in Haridwar as Ganga breaches warning level

Dehradun, July 17: Ganga on Sunday crossed the danger mark in Devprayag and the warning level in Haridwar due to the heavy release of water from the dam on the Alaknanda River. Meanwhile, rains battered several parts of Uttarakhand on Sunday, causing landslides and closing many roads.

According to officials, the Ganga was flowing at 463.20 metres, causing water to fill Sangam Ghat, Ramkund, Dhaneshwar Ghat, and Fuladi Ghat. The Ganga's water level also changed dramatically as 2,000-3,000 cusecs of water were released from the dam of the GVK hydroelectric project built on the Alaknanda River.

Brijesh Bhatt, Tehri District Disaster Management Officer, said the district government is making frequent calls to warn people to stay away from the river's banks. He further stated that the water level of the Ganga in the Muni ki Reti area of Tehri near Rishikesh had risen to 339.60 metres, which is 0.10 metre higher than the warning level of 339.50 metres.

Officials said that the Ganga crossed 293.15 metres in Haridwar Sunday evening, above the warning limit of 293 metres, and that an alert has been issued in low-lying areas due to the increasing river level.

The State Disaster Operation Centre has ordered Haridwar District Magistrate Dheeraj Singh to fix Gate No. 10 of the Bhimgoda barrage as soon as possible in order to avoid any major losses caused by the high-speed water flowing through the breached gate.

Due to the recent heavy rainfall, a flood-like condition is prevailing in 71 villages in the tehsils of Laksar, Khanpur, Roorkee, Bhagwanpur, and Haridwar.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), army, and state police are assisting in rescue and relief efforts.

According to them, debris and excess water flowing into the Girthi Ganga river at Niti Ghati in Chamoli district's Joshimath damaged the abutment of a bridge on the Joshimath-Malari road.

According to the disaster management department, only the Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police used this bridge.

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