Haryana not releasing water in Yamuna deliberately

CHANDIGARH - Haryana Friday denied it was deliberately releasing water into the Yamuna river, thus posing a flood threat in Delhi.

“Hathni Kund is a barrage and not a dam. Therefore Haryana cannot release water from Hathni Kund barrage but it automatically flows down into Yamuna, with the natural flow,” state Principal Secretary (Irrigation) S.S. Dhillon said.

“707,000 cusecs of water was flowing in Hathni Kund barrage Sep 8, which reduced to only 74,000 cusecs today (Friday). Water level in Yamuna river had risen because there was heavy rainfall on the riverbanks and now it has also started receding considerably,” he said.

According to Haryana officials, over one lakh cusecs of water was released into Yamuna Friday morning.

In Delhi, the Yamuna continued to swell, flowing a metre above the danger mark of 204.83 metres Friday evening. However, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit maintained that the situation was “under control” and people living in low-lying areas had been shifted to safer places.