Complete flood prevention work along Yamuna in Karnal district, officials told

Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan said the flood prevention work is underway at six locations in the district to safeguard against the flood of the Yamuna, and all works are expected to be completed by June 30. An estimated cost of Rs 17–18 crore will be spent on these projects. He said this while interacting with the media after inspecting the ongoing work on the Yamuna embankment at Dhakwala and Sadharpur villages on Tuesday.

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Officials of the Irrigation Department said six new studs and stone revetment works were in progress at Dhakwala, at a cost of Rs 3 crore. In Sadharpur, six old studs were being repaired, with an expenditure of Rs 1.28 crore.

Speaker Kalyan said flood control measures were reviewed every year at various locations, including the Yamuna. Wherever required, the government approves relevant projects and ensures their completion before the monsoon season. Due to heavy rainfall in the hills, the villages along the Yamuna belt in the district have faced floods in recent years. In Indri, a breach in the Yamuna embankment caused severe damage. There were three locations where the river was on the verge of breaching its banks. Learning from past experiences, all weak embankments were strengthened last year with necessary studs and stone revetments.

He said six locations in the district were identified last year where new studs or revetment work was required. The work is in progress at all these sites, with 70–80 per cent of the construction materials already delivered. Every effort is being made to complete all flood protection work before June 30. Officials have also been instructed to coordinate with the district administration and prepare an advance action plan to handle any potential emergencies, to avoid a situation similar to two years ago when the availability of materials becomes a challenge and stones have to be brought from NFL and thermal plants.

Kalyan emphasised that the purpose of the site visit was also to gather ground-level information from the villagers. “Their suggestions are often very effective. If any new issue is brought to light, the department is informed, and action is taken after proper investigation,” said Kalyan.

Last year alone, approximately Rs 13 crore were spent to strengthen the Yamuna embankment near Lalupura village. All work was completed with high quality standards. Sometimes, the change in the river’s course poses a challenge, but the department has responded well based on past experiences. All submitted projects have been approved by the government.

He expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini for approving these projects during the Flood Control Board meeting held under his chairmanship.