Manohar Lal Khattar hits out at politicians for blaming Haryana for floods in Delhi

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday hit out at politicians for blaming the Haryana for flood-like situation in Delhi.

He said playing the blame game at the time of “crisis is nothing but proof of being uneducated.”

He said that 30 people have lost lives in Haryana due to floods.

“Some prominent politicians are trying to defame Haryana by circulating photos claiming that it is only because Haryana has released water from the Hathnikund barrage which has caused flood-like situations in their states,” Khattar told the media in Rohtak.

“Making such statements is nothing but shows their low-level mentality. I think if there is any PhD degree of being ill-informed then these people will get PhD degree for sure,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the flood-like situation caused due to increased water levels in the Yamuna river has first affected villages of Yamunanagar district only. “The situation due to increased water levels in the Yamuna became so bad that we had to vacate two villages in the district.”

“What is the logic behind that first we will drown our own districts and then will drown Delhi? Before defaming us, these people should have a clear understanding that Haryana has more districts adjoining to the Yamuna than Delhi.

“If any untoward situation arises then Haryana will be affected more. Haryana will not be defamed by such statements. We have our own identity. We believe in serving not harming,” said Khattar.

He said ever since canals and dams are built, there is a written rule which says that every barrage has a fixed capacity and water below that capacity is diverted.

“But when the water level increases, the diversion of canals is stopped, as the excess water flow can damage the system. If it is kept closed, then the system will be safe. After this, the natural flow of water will go in that direction. Even in Bhakra, if there is an overflow, the water goes into the rivers like the Sutlej and not into the Bhakra main canal,” explained the Chief Minister.

“Before blaming us, Delhi should remember Haryana is fulfilling its water needs,” he said.

“We do not only meet Delhi’s water requirement but are giving more water than Delhi’s share. Delhi's share is 750 cusecs and even today Haryana gives 1,070 cusecs of water to Delhi. A total of 320 cusecs of water gives more than its share,” he said.

The Chief Minister said even after Supreme Court’s directive to Delhi to pay for taking extra water from Haryana, Delhi has never paid anything for getting 320 cusecs of extra water.

Khattar said Haryana never spends money on the maintenance of ITO barrage. That money was given by Indraprastha Power Plant till 2018. With the closure of the plant, the money was stopped.

“The Delhi government never said any such problem could arise here. They never held a flood control meeting and if they did they never said that the maintenance of this barrage has stopped. Today when there was a problem, he is creating an unnecessary ruckus,” he said.

He said due to the lack of proper maintenance of the Yamuna, the Delhi government could not take out even three lakh cusecs of water from the Delhi area. The Haryana government has set up an inquiry to check all their systems.

Along with the ITO barrage, encroachments inside the Yamuna river have also been asked to be identified as not Haryana, but the illegal encroachments in the Yamuna have resulted in flood-like situations in Delhi, said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said if the SYL Canal had been built today, Punjab would have suffered less.

“Excess rainwater from Punjab flowed into the SYL constructed in Haryana, due to which areas of Ambala and Kurukshetra districts were submerged. These two districts were submerged only because of incomplete SYL. But we never accused Punjab of this situation,” Khattar said.

The Chief Minister said in previous years there was 145 mm of rain during monsoon, but this time the state has received 245 to 250 mm of rain, which is 180 per cent more.

He said the report of the assessment of the loss caused to life and property in the state is expected to come in the next two days.

According to information so far, 30 people have died, 133 houses completely damaged, 183 houses partially damaged and 110 animals died. Also, 1.60 lakh hectares is waterlogged.