Ganga and Yamuna start receding

ALLAHABAD: The receding of Ganga and Yamuna on Thursday brought relief for the flood victims. The level of the two river is receding at the rate of 2 cms per hour. However, the rivers are still flowing about the danger mark of 84.738 metres.
On Thursday, the level of Ganga at Phaphamau and Chatnag was recorded 85.770 and 85.060 metres while the level of Yamuna at Naini was recorded 85.600 metres.
The level of the water in most of the affected localities like Salori, Chhota Baghara, Baghara, Ganganagar, Beli Gaon, Pitambarnagar, Gausnagar, Karelabagh, Shamsnagar and adjoining areas had receded but the houses are still inundated.
Beli Gaon resident Mohammad Tariq said that water level had receded but the houses are still flooded. If the receding trend continues, it would take 48-72 hours for water to drain out completely.
Salori resident Ajay Tripathi said that it would take time to maintain normalcy as majority of houses are still flooded. "We are still using boats to take stock of situation of houses. The district authorities should provide more boats and food and drinking water for affected people," he said.
Executive engineer of flood control division JP Verma said that the level Ganga and Yamuna is receding by 2 cms per hour. The officials are expecting that water from majority of the affected areas would recede between 48 and 72 hours.
Currently, over 3,700 victims are taking shelters at 24 flood relief camps.
Armymen had worked tirelessly to repair the collapsed portion of Ring Bund of Salori STP and handed it over it to district authorities on Wednesday. The irrigation department is completing the remaining work.
On Thursday, a group of flood victims complained to senior police authorities about thefts at the locked houses that were flooded.
District magistrate Raj Shekhar asked the officials of PWD and AMC to take corrective measures to repair damaged roads. The DM gave September 1 as deadline to the officials to repair the roads.
The authorities had prepared a list of 29 damaged roads to be repaired on or before September 7. The chief ehief engineer of AMC stated that 22 out of 51 roads have been repaired or patch work done.
Meanwhile, a team of Congress party from Mundrea and adjoining areas distributed meals to victims of 600 houses in flood affected Gausnagar area on Thursday.