Low Yamuna water rings alarm bells

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, February 5

An unprecedented decrease in water level of the Yamuna has sounded the alarm among the authorities and people.

The situation is stimulated by unstable weather conditions which can pose a serious crisis for the state as well as the national capital which largely depends on the river for its water needs.

A minimum of 988 cusecs of water was recorded at the Hathnikumd barrage in the district this evening.

Officials of the Irrigation Department said the unprecedented decrease in the water level was being witnessed for the past one week.

“The water level in the Yamuna has touched a new low for the first time,” said GP Sharma, Executive Engineer, Irrigation Department.

He said the power generation in four government-run hydel projects of the district had also been adversely affected after the water receded in the river.

“All four hydel projects normally produce about 45 MW electricity every day. But now, the production has come down to about 9 MW,” said Sharma.

The water distribution among Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi is done at the Hathnikumd barrage as per the availability of water in the Yamuna. Besides, a minimum 352 cusecs of water is discharged into the river for animals.