Crocodiles enter residential areas in parts of Haridwar as Ganga remains in spate
Besides the challenge posed by the swollen Ganga river and its tributaries due to heavy rainsfall, residents of Laksar and Khanpur in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district are having to deal with crocodiles entering flooded residential areas. The Forest Department, though, has swung into action
FollowIn Uttarakhand's Haridwar district, the people of the Laksar and Khanpur regions are facing a new concern as crocodiles are being spotted in residential areas due to the flooding caused by the swollen Ganga and its tributaries. To address this issue, the forest department has been actively capturing the crocodiles that have come along with the floodwaters of the Ganges, Ban Ganga, and Sonali rivers.
Around a dozen crocodiles have already been caught from the populated areas near the main rivers. The department has assigned a team of 25 employees to work round the clock in Laksar and Khanpur regions to catch these crocodiles and release them back into the rivers. The recent heavy rainfall has led to the rise of water levels in the Ganga, resulting in flooding in the Laksar and Khanpur regions.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has visited the affected villages to assess the situation. While the water level receded in some parts of Laksar last week, heavy rainfall on Tuesday caused it to rise again, exacerbating the situation.
On Tuesday, the Meteorological Department issued an alert concerning the potential inundation of low-lying regions and landslides in hilly areas, notably in Laksar, due to continuous rainfall. The persistent downpour, coupled with a breach in the Sonali River dam, has escalated the risk of flooding in Laksar town.
Local resident Amit Giri reported an incident in the Khedikalan village of Khanpur, where a large crocodile sought refuge in a bathroom. Fortunately, the forest department's team successfully captured and released it back into the river.
According to Neeraj Sharma, the Divisional Forest Officer of Haridwar, a significant number of crocodiles have been found in the Ban Ganga and Sonali rivers, which have entered populated areas along with the floodwaters. When the water level slightly decreased, most crocodiles returned to the rivers, but some ended up straying into residential areas.
Amberish Garg, the chairman of the Laksar Municipality, pointed out that crocodiles primarily enter the drains and ponds of rural areas through the Sonali and Ban Ganga rivers. This time, several incidents of crocodiles entering populated areas have been reported.
