Delhi reported its first deaths in the year's flooding on Friday as three boys aged 10-13 drowned in northwest Delhi's Mukundpur area.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) said that Yamuna River's water level has reduced slightly, but continues to be well above the danger mark.
Even as the floodwaters reached the Supreme Court and breached a regulator, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena remained embroiled in a blame game. The AAP also blamed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-run Haryana for releasing waters through the barrages it controls into Delhi that caused the flooding unseen in several decades.
As for the relief work, the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are on the ground.
The water scarcity in Delhi, caused by the stoppage of three water treatment plants, is also expected to ease as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that Okhla water treatment plant is being restarted as the Yamuna water levels have reduced. He further said that the flood situation should normalise if there is no rain for two days. The India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast, however, says that light rainfall with thundershowers are likely in Delhi throughout this week.
Here are the top 10 developments related to the Delhi flood situation.
1. 3 boys drown in Mukundpur Chowk area
Delhi reported its first fatalities in the year's flooding as three boys drowned in northwest Delhi's Mukundpur Chowk area on Friday.
The three boys aged 10-13 were bathing in the floodwaters when they drowned and died.
Delhi Fire Services (DFS) Director Atul Garg told PTI, "Three children drowned in a ditch at a metro construction site. They were pulled out and rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead."
2. Yamuna water level reduces slightly
After reaching a level not seen in decades, the Yamuna water level reduced slightly on Friday, according to the Central Water Commission (CWC).
Three days after breaching a 45-year record, water levels in the Yamuna in Delhi came down to 208.17 metres at 6 pm on Friday, reported PTI.
Despite the marginal reduction in water levels, the Yamuna River is still flowing well above the danger mark of 205.33 metres.
On Thursday, the water level had started rising after remaining stable for three hours and reached 208.66 metres by 7 pm, reported PTI.
Despite the reduction of water level, several areas of Delhi remain submerged, such as the the ITO intersection and Rajghat as the Irrigation and Flood Control Department's regulator was damaged. Floodwaters reached the entrance of the Supreme Court in central Delhi.
3. Damaged regulator causes flooding, triggers blame game
As a regulator installed near the Indraprastha bus stand and the WHO Building on Drain No 12 was damaged, surrounding regions were flooded and a blame game ensued between AAP and LG Saxena. The floodwaters reached the Supreme Court and submerged the ITO intersection and Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial Rajghat.
The AAP said the flooding occurred as Saxena's bureaucrats delayed the deployment of NDRF personnel despite request from the Kejriwal government.
The Indraprastha water regulator was breached due to a strong current in the river and is likely to be repaired within three-four hours, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said earlier in the day during his visit to the site, which was also visited by Saxena, reported PTI.
Delhi Cabinet minister Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the regulator was damaged because of the delay in the deployment of the NDRF, even as LG Saxena urged him not to start a blame game, reported PTI.
4. LG Saxena, Kejriwal govt trade charges
Saurabh Bharadwaj, who holds the irrigation and flood control portfolio, in presence of LG Saxena, alleged that despite reaching out to the officers to deploy NDRF and fix the damaged water regulator on Thursday night, "there was no response from them".
He said, "We wrote to the Chief Secretary on Whatsapp group to call NDRF else floodwaters might enter into sensitive areas of Delhi. We also asked the DM. But our messages were ignored last night."
Responding to Bharadwaj, Saxena said, "This is the time for teamwork, not blaming each other. I could say a lot of things too, but it's not necessary at the moment."
Bharadwaj said he requested Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar too on Thursday night for the deployment of the NDRF, but in vain. He said, "Ashwani Kumar is the Divisional Commissioner and NDRF was not called at night even after repeated requests from a Minister. Will they do anything because of the ordinance?"
Later in a rebuttal, Raj Niwas sources said the regulator required urgent engineering solutions, the responsibility for which lay with the Irrigation & Flood Control Department and DJB – both under the Kejriwal government and under Minister-in charge Saurabh Bharadwaj, reported PTI.
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Sources told PTI, "I&FC and DJB have full-fledged engineering wings of their own having several officers from level of Chief Engineer up to Junior Engineers, however, they could not carry out the necessary works despite a lapse of more than 12 hours," the sources said.
The sources further told PTI that NDRF is mandated to carry out relief and rescue operations during disasters, something it has been doing in Delhi since the flood started.
"The NDRF is not responsible for carrying out regular engineering works," said sources to PTI.
5. 60 students, over 100 animals rescued
Sixty students and over 100 animals were rescued in Delhi by Delhi Police and NDRF personnel.
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The PTI reported that more than 60 students from Blind School in Kingsway Camp in northwest Delhi were evacuated to a safer location by a team of Delhi Police after floodwaters entered its premises.
The NDRF team, using boats, rescued 60 dogs and 50 cows that were stuck at an animal shelter home in Mayur Vihar, reported PTI.
6. Okhla water plant to restart
CM Kejriwal said that Okhla water plant is being restarted as the water levels in the Yamuna has reduced.
This would ease the water scarcity in Delhi, even if marginally, as two water plants at Wazirabad and Chandrawal continue to be out of operations. Due to the closure of these plants, several areas in Delhi have been facing water shortage amid record-breaking rain and flood.
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7. Situation could normalise in 2 days if it doesn't rain: Kejriwal
Delhi CM Kejriwal said that the flood situation in Delhi could normalise in two days if it does not rain.
However, the India Meteorological Department's (IMD) forecast, however, said in its weekly forecast that light rainfall with thundershowers are likely in Delhi till the end of the week.
Kejriwal also informed that the Indian Navy personnel are engaged in repair work at the ITO barrage where five of the 32 gates are jammed, obstructing the drainage of water from Delhi.
8. AAP govt blames Haryana, claims floods are a BJP conspiracy
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Besides LG Saxena, the AAP government also blamed the neighbouring BJP-run Haryana for the flood in Delhi.
Kejriwal said Haryana is responsible for the ITO barrage but it has no interest in maintaining it.
Visiting the ITO barrage, Kejriwal said, "The Navy is working to open them but it cannot be said when these will be opened...The Haryana government is responsible for their maintenance but they have no interest. We will surely begin the process to take control of the barrage."
Separately, AAP leaders accused the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government of "manufacturing" Delhi flood. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that the flood are engineered and are a BJP conspiracy.
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"AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said the Haryana government did not release any water for five days from July 9 and then 'diverted all water towards Delhi'," reported ABP News.
Singh was quoted as saying: "It has not rained in Delhi for 3 days, then what is the reason for the flood? The reason for this is the deep conspiracy hatched by the BJP. The hatred hidden in Modi ji's mind comes out in such incidents. CM Kejriwal extends support to any state facing a crisis. But today Delhi is witnessing floods without rain. I say with full responsibility that this flood is sponsored.
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"Had this water been released evenly, there would have been no flood situation in Delhi today. Why is BJP doing this? Delhi has seven BJP MPs. It would have been better if they appealed to Haryana that all the water should not be released towards Delhi."
ABP News reported AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar as accusing the Narendra Modi government of being "vindictive" and said it ensured that all water from Haryana's Hathinikund Barrage was released toward Delhi which caused a "manufactured and man-made flood".
9. We need to work together, it's not a time for blame game: Kejriwal
After Kejriwal criticised the Haryana government and his party's leaders termed Delhi floods a conspiracy of the BJP, Kejriwal on Friday evening said that it's not a time for blame game and everyone should work together.
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"This is a very big crisis..everyone should work together and not play the blame game," ANI quoted Kejriwal as saying.
10. IMD issues 'yellow alert' for Delhi, predicts moderate rain
The IMD on Friday issued a yellow alert for Delhi and predicted moderate rainfall.
Moderate rain and thundershowers are likely on Saturday in Delhi, as per IMD.
A yellow alert indicates several bad weather, an orange alert indicates a warning for extremely bad weather, and a red alert indicates extremely bad weather that's certainly going to disrupt power and pose a significant threat to life.
Several areas, including Laxmi Nagar, Ayanagar, Lodhi Road, Mungeshpur and a few localities in east Delhi, witnessed light rainfall on Friday, reported PTI, adding that there was a light drizzle in other areas, including Lutyens' Delhi
