Adityanath marshals officers to expedite relief in flood-hit UP

Lucknow, Aug 16 (IANS) With the flood situation in Uttar Pradesh worsening, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday spoke to the top officials and sought the latest updates on the flood situation.

The flood situation in many districts of western Uttar Pradesh is quite worse and has marooned thousands of people. Adityanath spoke to the District Magistrates of Maharajganj, Balrampur, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur and Siddharthanagar, on phone and took the latest updates on situation there.

He also warned them of serious action on officials and employees who are lax in the flood relief duties, an official said.

According to the official, the Chief Minister also directed the District Magistrates to personally assess the flood situation and expedite the relief and rescue operations.

Adityanath also expects the officials to ensure that all necessary emergency arrangements have been made to prevent the loss of lives.

Directing 24x7 presence of the staff at flood posts, the Chief Minister also called for availability of adequate relief material. He also called for necessary security arrangements at flood relief camps and flood-hit habitations.

One unit of the provincial armed constabulary (PAC) is already deployed in rescue and relief operations in Siddharthanagar district. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is present there as well.

With this, for relief and rescue operations, 12 motor boats and 25 boats have also been deployed. Rescue and relief operations and being conducted and material distributed.

Also, 36 posts have been established in Maharajganj district and the NDRF team is aiding the district administration in rescue and relief operations; 178 villages have been flooded due to heavy rains in the neighbouring Nepal.

All embankments which were breached in Maharajganj district are being repaired expeditiously and two days ago, 39 people were rescued and air-lifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) choppers to safer places.

Despite the worst ever floods in Balrampur district, water has started receding and motor boats have been provided along with 32 flood posts.

In Gorakhpur district, Rohini river is flowing three metres above the danger mark. Relief and rescue works are underway in the worst affected area of Makhana village.

Eighty-six flood posts have been established in the district. Because of a breach in a regulator in Domaingarh tehsil in the city, water entered the locality.

More than 8,000 families were affected because of this and they have now been shifted to safer places and efforts are underway to improve the regulator and to ease out the water logging.

Vigil is also being maintained on the water level of the Rapti river in Gorakhpur.