PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Uttarkashi The authorities have dug up a channel and removed debris to facilitate smoother flow of water from the lake formed in the Bhagirathi river in Harshil area. This lake was posing a potential threat in case of a sudden breach, to the Dharali and other nearby areas already affected by disaster. Officials informed that a 30-member team of the UJVN Limited and Irrigation department along with National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were involved in the efforts undertaken to clear the flow of wate from the lake. The UJVNL and Irrigation department workers manually cut logs and removed debris blocking the flow of the river and also dug a channel along the river to increase the flow of water. Meanwhile, NDRF personnel in two boats checked the depth of the lake and found it to be about 15 feet. According to sources, the creation of an additional channel and clearing of debris to clear the flow of water has reduced pressure being exerted by the lake formed by debris in the Harshil area. Earlier, a team of experts from the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Indian Institute of Technology-Roorkee, Central Building Research Institute- Roorkee and the Geological Survey of India inspected the lake. On the recommendations of the experts, divers from the NDRF and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are being readied to measure the depth and discharge from the lake accurately.