Residents of Yamuna Bazar trying to save their belongings on Friday.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
The Yamuna’s water level in Delhi continued to recede for the second consecutive day on Friday. However, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that there has been no slack in relief work and all the agencies concerned are closely monitoring the developments. The CM made the statement even as Arvind Kejriwal, a former CM and national convener of Aam Aadmi Party, visited flood relief camps and highlighted “lapses” in the arrangements for the flood-affected residents.
At 6 p.m. on Friday, the water level at the Old Railway Bridge — a key observation point to track the river’s flow — was 207.12 metres, a drop from the season’s high of 207.48 metres recorded a day earlier.
Chairing an online meeting of all District Magistrates, Ms. Gupta emphasised the need for continuous vigilance in the inundated areas and stressed the importance of ensuring proper arrangements for food, water, medical care, sanitation, and other essential services.
“Safeguarding the lives and property of those impacted by the natural calamity is the foremost responsibility of the government. No negligence will be tolerated,” said the CM.
She added, “Residents are being shifted to relief camps wherever necessary, and public representatives are meeting people from the affected areas to address their difficulties. Senior officials have been instructed to assess the damage to the crops for appropriate compensation.”
Ms. Gupta urged people not to pay attention to rumours and remain calm. She said her government is “fully prepared” to deal with any contingency and discharge its “moral and administrative” duties.
‘Grim accounts’
During his visit to relief camps, Mr. Kejriwal said he had come across “grim accounts of mismanagement”, with residents complaining about the shortage of food, drinking water and proper shelter, forcing many to sleep in the open.
“We understand that this is nature’s wrath. But, in such situations, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that all the essential arrangements are in place. I appeal to the BJP government in Delhi to provide all the necessary facilities in relief camps, where the poor have been forced to stay,” he said.
The former CM added that in many parts of the city, sewage water is flowing back from the drains to the streets causing distress to people and urged the government to fix the issue at the earliest.
The AAP chief also made an appeal to the BJP-led Central government to provide relief to flood-affected people in north India. “Recently, the government of India sent relief material to Afghanistan after the earthquake, which was a commendable step. In the same way, it must also provide immediate relief to our own flood-affected States in north India. These are our own people, citizens of India, and they too deserve urgent help,” he said.
‘Thunderstorms likely’
While Delhi received little rain on Friday, the India Meteorological Department has forecast rain and thunderstorms across the city on Saturday. Meanwhile, traffic has been diverted on the Outer Ring Road stretch from Chandgi Ram Akhara towards Indraprastha College and from the college to Shamnath Marg.
Published – September 06, 2025 01:29 am IST
