Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday asserted that his government would take all necessary steps to save people from floods and relief items and compensation would be given to the affected people at the earliest.
After an aerial survey of flood-hit areas of Gonda and lakhimpur Kheri on Saturday, Yogi directed officials to remain alert and take all necessary steps to extend prompt relief to flood victims or those affected by heavy rains that lashed the state in the recent past.
After the aerial survey, the Chief Minister told reporters that he had asked various departments engaged in flood relief operations to ensure proper co-ordination among themselves and public representatives and ensure prompt assistance to victims of floods.
“Excessive rains in the last fortnight in the state have raised apprehension of severe floods in various parts. There are 40 sensitive and hypersensitive districts in terms of floods. Kheri, Sitapur, Bahraich and Gonda are in the hyper-sensitive category,” he said.
“We have initiated preventive measures and released adequate funds following feedback from our parliamentarians, legislators and other people’s representatives,” the Chief Minister said. He also interacted with flood-affected people.
Yogi said that his government had been able to check loss of human lives and properties by initiating preventive measures. He said that boat capsize, snake bite cases, sewer cleaning, gas leak and borewell deaths had been incorporated among calamities and prompt relief would be provided to the aggrieved families.
After inspecting Elgin Charsadi ring bund at Colonelganj tehsil of Gonda, that developed a crack due to flood in the Ghaghara river, the Chief Minister said that all those who lost their land would be compensated immediately.
The Chief Minister said that officials were keeping round-the-clock vigil of Elgin bund but due to swelling of the Ghaghara river and heavy rains in neighbouring Nepal, a portion of the bund had developed a crack which would be repaired as soon as the water level receded.
Yogi also said that many embankments had cracked due to swelling of rivers every year so after the monsoon, the government would go for permanent solutions.
The Chief Minister, who was accompanied by senior officers during his visit, said that he was personally reviewing the situation every day and warned officials that any laxity in ensuring relief to victims would not be tolerated.
He said that 27 districts of the state were affected by floods.
Meanwhile, three more persons were killed as rains and thundershowers continued to lash most parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Major rivers, including Ghaghara and Sharda, were in spate leading to fears of floods in several districts.
The Met officials in lucknow said that south-west monsoon was active over eastern UP leading to light to moderate rains and thundershowers at most places. The weather office warned that heavy rains were very likely at isolated places.
A state government communiqué confirmed three more deaths on Saturday, one each being reported from Mirzapur, Unnao and Kanpur. The toll in rain-related incidents has reached 186 since July 1.
While Gonda and Shahjahanpur received seven cm rainfall each, Gorakhpur, Bhinga, Chhibramau, Hardoi, Faridpur and Puranpur received five cm rain, the Met office said.