The UP government has set up a Drought Monitoring Cell in the Revenue depart to coordinate with districts and departments for providing drought relief as per guidelines of National Calamity Management Authority. The Cell will be headed by an official of UP Calamity Management Authority.
The government has also directred all DMs and Commissioners to send information by SMS to relief programe beneficieries over distribution of relief material, drinking water, cattle feed etc.
Officiating Chief Secretary Praveer Kumar said that 692 water tankers have been deputed for supplying drinking water in 39 districts across the state while 402 tankers in Bundelkhand.
In a staement released on Thursday, Relief Commissioner Anil Kumar said that the Cell will ensure relief in drought-hit areas especially Bundelkhand. He said that the adequate funds have been released to districts and departments and the government will monitor all reports and plans presented by Cell.
The government has also set up a Control Room at the Relief Commissioner's office for providing information to the masses and redresaal of their problems if any.
As many as 50 districts in UP have been severely hit by drought. Swathes of parched land lie unused and water crisis has debilitated the rural economy. Seven districts of Bundelkhand - Chitrakoot, Banda, Mahoba, Hamirpur, lalitpur, Jhansi and Banda - have been the worst affected.
The rivers in Bundelkhand are also fast drying up.
Across Bundelkhand, hundreds of ponds, canals and reservoirs have dried up and stray cattle are dying of thirst. For the rural populace of Bundelkhand, a few handpums are the sole source of water. These too have dried up and even those operational can not provide more than a few buckets of water. The drinking water problem is made worse by the high salinity levels in the region.
The state government has allocated Rs 30 crore for solving the drinking water crisis in Bundelkhand. Over 3,200 hand pumps are to be installed in seven districts, while an additional 440 tankers will cater to villagers.