Ganga crosses danger mark in Varanasi, ghats inundated

The water level of the Ganga river crossed the danger mark here on Monday morning, submerging ghats and forcing the authorities to shift cremation and other religious rituals to rooftops and raised platforms, officials said.

According to the Central Water Commission, the Ganga was flowing at 72.1 metres by Monday morning, above the danger level of 71.262 metres.

Shivam Agrahari of Ganga Seva Nidhi said all ghats have been submerged, cutting off access.

The famed Ganga 'aarti' at the Dashashwamedh ghat is now being conducted on rooftops, while cremations at Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats are being performed on elevated platforms.

District authorities have imposed a ban on boat movement in the river as a precautionary measure. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are patrolling the flood-affected areas and rescuing stranded individuals to safer locations, the officials said.

On Sunday, District Magistrate Satyendra Kumar visited the flood-affected areas and relief camps to review arrangements.

He directed officials to provide food and relief kits to families staying on upper floors of their homes and ensure smooth operation of relief camps with full capacity.

He ordered the deployment of both male and female police personnel at the camps, along with arrangements for cooking meals.

The district magistrate also instructed municipal officials to maintain proper cleanliness in and around the camps and toilets, and to carry out anti-larvae spraying and fogging in waterlogged areas.

Kumar also asked the chief medical officer to deploy medical teams at all camps and ensure availability of healthcare services.

He ordered that generators be installed for alternative lighting in camps and full provision of food, medicines, sanitation and basic necessities for women and children.