No need to panic over Yamuna level rising: Delhi minister

The Delhi government has taken several measures in the past six months to increase the carrying capacity of the Yamuna river, Delhi Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Minister Parvesh Verma said on Wednesday.

The minister, who was on an inspection visit at the ITO barrage, assured people that there is no need to worry or panic over the rising Yamuna river levels, as the situation is under control.

“In the past six months, steps have been taken by different departments to increase the carrying capacity of the river. Currently, the situation is under control, and even if the level rises by one or two metres more, water will not enter Delhi roads like it did in 2023,” Verma told reporters.

Also Read: Cots float, families wade through water as Yamuna rises in Delhi

The Yamuna river level was recorded at 206.83 metres at the Old Railway Bridge (ORB) on Wednesday at 8 am — above the evacuation mark of 206 metres.

As the water level rose, people living in low-lying areas were being evacuated by district authorities, and the ORB was closed for traffic.

“Yamuna river has not entered any authorised household. It is those who have constructed houses inside the floodplain, despite several warnings in the past. Our rescue teams are working. Even if the level touches 209 metres, no authorised area will be flooded. We are expecting the water level to start reducing by evening,” the minister added.

Also Read: Delhi: Yamuna water enters houses as river crosses danger mark; evacuation begins

According to the government, continuous 24×7 monitoring of water discharge from the three barrages — Hathnikund, Wazirabad, and Okhla — is being carried out.

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Nutrition is children’s best defence against pollution, say doctors

As India observes National Nutrition Week, leading dietitians and clinicians are warning that air pollution is silently damaging children’s health — but food itself could be the strongest defence.

Doctors across Delhi’s major hospitals say that the right nutrition can lower the risk of pollution-related diseases in children by as much as 70%. “Air pollution is no longer just about smog or visibility, it is about what goes into our children’s lungs every day,” said Shalini Verma, Dietitian at Dr RML Hospital.