Clinton’s coming to Agra, can you fill up the Yamuna a bit?

AGRA, MARCH 21: The roads have been freshly tarred, the sidekerbs painted white and all paan and beedi shops closed in Agra as the city ge...

AGRA, MARCH 21: The roads have been freshly tarred, the sidekerbs painted white and all paan and beedi shops closed in Agra as the city gets ready to receive Clinton. But what does the administration do about the stinking, blacktrickle of water which is called the Yamuna? Especially when it forms the backdrop with Taj as Clinton signs an agreement on Environment and Energy sharing. They just decide to call up Haryana and ask them to send in more water so that the river looks a little less shameful.

The local administration wrote to the Haryana Water and Irrigation department saying that they wanted at least the water level in Yamuna to increase by six inches. It might also look a little less black and stink a little less after being diluted. Presently, just behind the Taj Khema, the river is hardly two feet deep and 40 feet wide.

Of course, the logistics of the entire solution was mind-boggling. This meant that at least 10 cumecs of water, or 350 cusecs, had to be released at Tajewala three days in advance of the big day. This implied that the water that is left in the Agra canal and its many channels would have to be diverted for this purpose.

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The Agra canal irrigates at least 50,000 hectares in Haryana and nearly one lakh hectare in the three divisions of Okhla, Upper Mathura and Agra. The rabi crop, especially wheat, is being irrigated for the last time before it is harvested during this season.

The distribution losses were also absurd. “The losses would be to the tune of 750 cusecs from Delhi. Also, the water will have to pass through Delhi in any case,” said G K Sirothia, chief engineer, Agra Irrigation department. The fact that it would pass through Delhi would have defeated the purpose in any case because that is the stretch from where the river turns into a sewer, unfit for human consumption.

This request was picked up by some of the anti-Clinton visit groups which had decided to camp in the city and protest. It was Clinton versus the affected farmers. The groups, of course, were politely asked to leave from the city.

Even on the eve of the visit, the administration is looking towards Yamuna trying to see if the level has increased. “The water might come at night, we still do not know if they have released it,” said Baby Rani Maurya, Mayor of Agra.

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