Dhami Orders Urgent Measures to Drain Debris-Formed Lake in Uttarkashi’s Syanachatti

Dehradun, August 22, 2025: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to take immediate steps for the safe drainage of water from a lake formed due to debris accumulation in the Syanachatti area of Uttarkashi district.

According to an official release, Dhami instructed Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman to coordinate with the district administration and ensure channelisation of water to prevent any risk to nearby residents. He also ordered uninterrupted supply of food, cooking gas, medicines, fuel, and other essentials for the affected families and those shifted to safer locations.

The Disaster Management Secretary informed that efforts are underway to gradually drain the lake. Agencies including the Public Works Department, SDRF, and the Irrigation Department are engaged in clearing a passage. “The water level of the lake has decreased by about two feet in the last one hour,” he said. However, he noted that swampy conditions were slowing the channelisation process, prompting teams to explore alternative options.

Rescue and relief teams from SDRF, NDRF, the fire brigade, and the irrigation department have reached the site using rafts. District Magistrate Prashant Arya is monitoring the situation on the ground, with drones deployed for continuous surveillance. Teams from the Health, Revenue, and Food Supply Departments are also on standby.

Urging residents to stay calm, Arya assured that the water would be drained safely. “The lake water will be drained out soon. All necessary safety measures are being taken by the administration,” he said. Authorities also appealed to the public not to believe in rumours as precautionary measures are in place.