The rivers in Haridwar district like Ratmau and Ravasan swollen due to torrential rains in the past one week pose a threat to the village residents around Roorkee. While many hectares of agricultural land have been washed away, two lives were lost due to the rains during the past fortnight.
A woman who was crossing a swollen river to go to the other side traversing through embankments was swept away by the swift current. She was going to buy medicines for her kin. Her body was found on the riverbed on Saturday. She was 70 years old. Another woman, aged about 40 years also drowned while attempting to cross the river a fortnight ago. Irked by the drowning incidents, the villagers are demanding the completion of bridge work at Ravasan river which has been kept pending for years now.
After years of protest the State Government had started construction work at Ravasan river last year, but now even after a year, the bridge is not commutable. As a result, the villagers of Rasoolpur and other adjacent villages have to cross the river and the swollen river is posing a big threat to them.
If the Government does not act fast, there would be many more incidents of death from drowning, said the angry villagers.