GHAZIABAD: In response to the recent flooding in Loni, District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mandar has established a four-member committee tasked with locating permanent structures within the Yamuna floodplain zone. The committee, led by Additional District Magistrate Saurabh Bhatt, includes the Loni SDM and an official from the irrigation department. It is responsible for identifying illegal constructions in the floodplain and must submit their findings within a month, after which the area will be cleared.
Officials have noted that flooding in Loni has become a recurring challenge since 2023, necessitating the allocation of resources for rescue efforts. This year alone, around 400 individuals were rescued from illegal buildings situated within the floodplain zone. The committee is expected to provide its report in a month.
“Loni encompasses over 13 villages, with Badarpur, Illaichipur, and Pachyera being the most vulnerable, situated along the banks of the Yamuna. Except for 2023, recent floods have never breached the Alipore embankment. However, illegal settlements have emerged on the opposite side of the embankment, which is prohibited,” stated ADM Bhatt.
According to rural standards, a floodplain stretches 2.5 km from the midstream of the river on either side, while in urban areas, it extends up to 100 meters. Moreover, the floodplain is defined by the Highest Flood Level (HFL), indicating the maximum width covered by the river during floods over the past century.
“For Loni, the 18 km Alipore embankment runs alongside the Yamuna, with 9.6 km in Loni and the remainder in Baghpat district. This embankment is used to determine floodplain areas. The land within this designated zone, whether private or government, is intended for agricultural and related activities only, and permanent structures are not permitted. Unfortunately, we’ve discovered that unsuspecting buyers have been misled into purchasing land in the floodplain where construction has occurred,” Bhatt explained.
