PRAYAGRAJ: With water level of both Ganga and Yamuna now below the danger mark of 84.73m, its good news for residents trapped in localities inundated with flood water and the district administration. The rivers are further receding at a much faster pace.
However, many people in the flood relief camps are reluctant to return to their homes, fearing that water level might again increase.
After flowing above the danger level (84.73m) for about ten days, both the rivers have receded below it at all the three measuring points of the district. Flood water has also retreated in rural areas, giving relief to thousands of villagers and cattle who had taken refuge in the relief camps.
The level of Ganga (as recorded at 4.00pm of Saturday) at Phaphamau was 83.96m, and at Chhatnag, it was at recorded as 83.04m. At Naini, Yamuna was flowing at 83.72m, which is far below the danger level.
Ganga is receding at a speed of 7cm per hour at Phaphamau and 5cm per hour at Chhatnag. Likewise, Yamuna at Naini is receding with a speed of 6cm per hour.
Flood water is decreasing in several areas of the city, including Chota Baghara, Bara Baghara, Bakshi Khurd, Sadiabad, Shivkuti, Guas Nagar, Salori, Karelabagh, Daragunj, Nagvasuki and Harshvardhan Nagar. Many localities, which where earlier approachable only by boats, can now be reached by cycle or even by walking.
While some of the people have started returning to their houses, others who are still in the camps are providing essential items to those who had opted to stay back at home, mostly to guard their belongings.
“In our locality, while the families had shifted to relief camps, it was the responsibility of students like us to guard the belongings. But now as the water is receding, many people are coming back,” said Rajesh Patel, a student in Chota Baghara locality.
Meanwhile, the retreating water is leaving a trail of damage caused by it. Piles of garbage, silt, thick rotten vegetation, filth, sewage and plastic are all left behind on the roads and areas from where the water has receded.
The district administration maintained that a massive drive to clean up the localities would be taken up despite the task being mammoth. “The cleaning work has already started in localities,” said PRO of Prayagraj Municipal Corporation, PK Mishra.
