Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday declared areas in Haridwar waterlogged due to flood as "disaster-prone" and deferred the payment of electricity and water bills and other government dues and loans for the next three months.
Meanwhile, several places including Badrinath and Yamunotri National Highway were blocked due to landslides caused by heavy rains. Dhami made the announcement after reviewing the water-logging and flood situation in Haridwar. Dhami said that distribution of relief money will be ensured immediately after a survey was done in the disaster-affected areas.
He said the government was working on a flood management plan to prevent the recurrence of this type of disaster in future, and was preparing a comprehensive plan for drainage and construction of small culverts. The CM also called for steps to channelise rivers to reduce the risk of floods in future. He also announced construction of permanent flood relief centres.
Earlier in a meeting with the officials, the CM asked them to ensure normal functioning of such facilities as drinking water, health, communication, and electricity in the waterlogged areas. Due to heavy rains in Haridwar district, 71 villages in Roorkee, Laksar, Bhagwanpur, and Haridwar tehsils were submerged, forcing several families to leave their houses for some place else, and 81 families to be shifted to temporary relief centres.
The Badrinath National Highway in Chamoli district was blocked at five places between Nandprayag and Badrinath due to landslide debris. According to the information received from the State Emergency Operation Centre, the Karnaprayag-Gairsain National Highway has also been closed for traffic due to the road being washed away at Kalimati near Gairsain.
Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway is closed due to debris near Dharasu band in Uttarkashi district. A cloudburst in Rauli village of Thalisain area of Pauri district Thursday night damaged four residential buildings and inundated about two hectares of agricultural land.
In the same incident, a man's cowshed was washed away and all animals kept in it died.
