It's Not A Yamuna Flood In Delhi, It Is The Trembling Of A Dying RiverDelhi is facing the flood fury, but is it because of the Yamuna river? It seems like yet another flood in Delhi but it was a disaster waiting. It could be the catastrophic outcome of all the exploitations of Yamuna river over the years. Now Yamuna is breaking the embankment and flowing on the streets, entering the homes of people. This pain is the disastrous result of a dying river.
Why Is Delhi's Lifeline Upset?
Rivers are the lifeline of cities situated next to them, but Delhi has been strangling the Yamuna. The river has been exploited for centuries. As a result, the river is fighting back to save its own life. Today, while I was going to my office in Delhi from Noida, thousands of families were stranded on the roadside. It appeared that the river just could not take their burden and threw them out. However, people living illegally on the banks of the Yamuna are only a small indication of a bigger disaster.
Ailing River Needs Cure
The river can't handle the burden of dirt and filth. The river needs to be cleaned. If she doesn't get it, she cries, screams, shouts. It seems like 'blood' has been extracted from the arteries of a historical river. A mythical river has been converted into a drain. Just like Kalidas, Delhi has cut the branch on which it is sitting. While big promises were made for Yamuna, a large part of the river today only appears to be nothing more than a dirty drain. Drain water from across Delhi is dumped into Yamuna. It gets filled with silt. Just look at Yamuna in the summer, the river is full of silt to the surface.
So, when the river is actually filled with rainwater due to excess rainfall, where does it flow?
Human Greed behind ailing Yamuna
When there's no place for the river's water, it overflows. But, then there too, the house of human greed has been built. In the 17th century, the Red Fort was built by encroaching on the banks of Yamuna and the British established civil lines. In independent India, Yamuna's territory was violated from Noida to the Okhla barrage. On one hand, we kept pretending to be taking steps to save Yamuna, on the other, we built Yamuna Bank Metro Station, Akshardham and Commonwealth Village. Illegal constructions on the banks of Yamuna mocks the schemes being run in the name of Yamuna and we turn a blind eye.
The natural flood plain area of the river, which was once 5-10 kilometres, has been reduced to a few hundred metres and in some places even a few metres. Then you say that there was a flood in the areas on the banks of Yamuna. In reality, it was the area of Yamuna, the place where the river could spread her arms when needed.
In case of heavy rain, Yamuna gets strength from her home Himalayas, her mother Yamunotri gives her energy, and then she wakes up and wants to claim her territory.
Why is it called flood?
There is an end to oppression. If you continue to torture Yamuna, she will revolt. In this pain the people of Delhi, feel the pain of Yamuna as well, only then there will be a cure.
Why Is Delhi's Lifeline Upset?
Rivers are the lifeline of cities situated next to them, but Delhi has been strangling the Yamuna. The river has been exploited for centuries. As a result, the river is fighting back to save its own life. Today, while I was going to my office in Delhi from Noida, thousands of families were stranded on the roadside. It appeared that the river just could not take their burden and threw them out. However, people living illegally on the banks of the Yamuna are only a small indication of a bigger disaster.
Ailing River Needs Cure
The river can't handle the burden of dirt and filth. The river needs to be cleaned. If she doesn't get it, she cries, screams, shouts. It seems like 'blood' has been extracted from the arteries of a historical river. A mythical river has been converted into a drain. Just like Kalidas, Delhi has cut the branch on which it is sitting. While big promises were made for Yamuna, a large part of the river today only appears to be nothing more than a dirty drain. Drain water from across Delhi is dumped into Yamuna. It gets filled with silt. Just look at Yamuna in the summer, the river is full of silt to the surface.
So, when the river is actually filled with rainwater due to excess rainfall, where does it flow?
Human Greed behind ailing Yamuna
When there's no place for the river's water, it overflows. But, then there too, the house of human greed has been built. In the 17th century, the Red Fort was built by encroaching on the banks of Yamuna and the British established civil lines. In independent India, Yamuna's territory was violated from Noida to the Okhla barrage. On one hand, we kept pretending to be taking steps to save Yamuna, on the other, we built Yamuna Bank Metro Station, Akshardham and Commonwealth Village. Illegal constructions on the banks of Yamuna mocks the schemes being run in the name of Yamuna and we turn a blind eye.
The natural flood plain area of the river, which was once 5-10 kilometres, has been reduced to a few hundred metres and in some places even a few metres. Then you say that there was a flood in the areas on the banks of Yamuna. In reality, it was the area of Yamuna, the place where the river could spread her arms when needed.
In case of heavy rain, Yamuna gets strength from her home Himalayas, her mother Yamunotri gives her energy, and then she wakes up and wants to claim her territory.
Why is it called flood?
There is an end to oppression. If you continue to torture Yamuna, she will revolt. In this pain the people of Delhi, feel the pain of Yamuna as well, only then there will be a cure.