Water levels in the Ganga, Varuna and Sharda rivers began receding in parts of Uttar Pradesh Sunday, bringing some relief after days of rain and flooding, but low-lying areas continued to grapple with waterlogging, sewage accumulation and inundated agricultural land.
According to a Central Water Commission bulletin, the Ganga in Varanasi stood at 69.76 metres at 2 pm Sunday, down from 70.29 metres on September 4 and below the danger level of 70.26 metres. The river was receding at around one centimetre an hour. The earlier rise in the Ganga and Varuna had, however, already left several low-lying neighbourhoods facing flood-like conditions.
MLA faces residents’ anger
The continuing civic distress spilled into public anger in Varanasi’s Kashmiriganj-Gurudham area Saturday, where BJP MLA Saurabh Srivastava faced protests from residents after visiting a locality affected by accumulated rainwater and sewage.
Residents raised “murdabad” slogans as Srivastava attempted to inspect the area, eventually forcing him to leave. The protest reflected frustration over waterlogging and sewage that continued to trouble residents despite the rivers beginning to recede.
In Lakhimpur Kheri, meanwhile, the Sharda also registered a marginal decline after water discharge from the Banbasa barrage in Uttarakhand’s Champawat district was reduced. Discharge stood at 1,22,800 cusecs at 2 pm Sunday, compared with 1,25,310 cusecs at 10 pm Saturday.
Pallia Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pushpak said the Sharda had fallen slightly but remained around 18 cm above the danger mark. The overflowing river had inundated agricultural fields and village routes in parts of Pallia tehsil, although officials said there were no reports of villages being flooded there so far.
A small temple situated along the riverbank at Dhakiya village in the Bijua area was swept away by erosion caused by the swollen Sharda. Officials said the village’s main temple remained safe.
Villages battle floodwaters
Several villages in Nighasan and Lakhimpur tehsils have reported flooding following the Sharda’s rise and intermittent rainfall since Saturday.
Kheri District Magistrate Anjani Kumar Singh and Nighasan SDM Yaduveer Singh visited affected areas, including Randauha village. The officials travelled part of the way by tractor before walking through knee-deep water to reach residents.
The district administration assured affected families of assistance as officials continued to monitor river levels and vulnerable areas.
While the decline in water levels has offered hope that the immediate pressure may ease, the situation remains precarious along the Sharda, which continues to flow above the danger mark, while residents in Varanasi face the aftermath of waterlogging and sewage accumulation even as the Ganga retreats.