UP CM Yogi Adityanath assesses flood situation; assures swift relief, compensation

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said 21 districts of Uttar Pradesh have been affected by floods due to excessive rainfall in the last 10 to 15 days.

He said ministers in charge have been deployed in each affected district to supervise and ensure effective relief operations are carried out by the district and police administration, according to an official statement.

During a visit to the Auraiya Collectorate on Tuesday, Adityanath distributed relief material among the flood-affected people and also distributed cheques to the beneficiaries of various schemes, it said.

He said the state has deployed 16 NDRF teams, 18 SDRF teams, and 31 PAC Flood Unit teams, along with more than 1,250 boats, to aid relief and rescue operations in the 21 districts.

More than 5,000 families in 12 villages of Auraiya alone have been hit by flooding in the Yamuna River. This situation has arisen due to the rising water level in the Chambal River in Rajasthan's Dholpur.

As a result, the water level in the Yamuna has risen 4.5 metres above the warning level of 113 metres, with floodwaters impacting several areas in Agra, Etawah, Auraiya, Jalaun, and Ballia.

Adityanath said control rooms have been set up at the state and district levels, and flood posts established in every village.

Food, drinking water, and fodder for animals have been arranged for the people who have been taken to safe places, while dry relief kits have been made available to those who are in their homes.

The chief minister said families who have lost a member to the disaster will get Rs 4 lakh as compensation from the Disaster Relief Fund, and in case of a house getting washed away or submerged, it will be covered under the Chief Minister Housing Scheme.

Compensation is also being given for the loss of livestock, and health camps have been set up at various places, the chief minister said.

This season, anti-rabies vaccine and anti-snake venom have been made available in sufficient quantities in Community Health Centres and district hospitals, Adityanath said.

Adityanath ordered a survey of crop losses and assured that affected farmers would be compensated. He asserted that the possibility of a flood remains till September and appealed to the people to remain vigilant.

Earlier in the day, he conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas between Agra and Auraiya. He also planted an Ashoka sapling in Auraiya under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, the statement said.

On Tuesday evening, the government said in a statement that the number of affected districts has risen to 24.

The 24 affected districts include Bijnor, Bahraich, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Kasganj, Bhadohi, Kanpur Nagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Agra, Auraiya, Chitrakoot, Ballia, Banda, Ghazipur, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Chandauli, Jalaun, Kanpur Dehat, Hamirpur, Etawah, and Fatehpur.

"In all these districts, relief work is being carried out at a war footing to ensure timely support and recovery," it added.

Flood Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami provided detailed updates on the situation, noting that 24 districts, 59 tehsils, and 1,245 villages have been affected so far. A total of 2,06,910 people have received relief aid, while 26,089 animals have been relocated to safer areas.

The government has already provided financial assistance to 360 of the 517 households whose homes were damaged due to the floods, he said.

To support the rescue and relief operations, 1,640 boats and motorboats are ferrying supplies to marooned areas. The government has distributed 17,924 food grain packets and 2,47,277 lunch packets among the victims, he said, adding that more than 40 community kitchens (langars) are operational in various areas, ensuring that affected families receive daily meals.

The government is also ensuring the safety and nourishment of livestock. So far, 5,585 quintals of fodder have been distributed. To prevent the spread of waterborne diseases, 2,04,494 chlorine tablets and 1,60,559 ORS packets have been distributed across vulnerable regions, according to the statement.

Currently, 377 flood shelters are actively housing 41,842 displaced individuals, with 901 medical teams deployed for regular health checkups.

In addition, 1,348 flood outposts have been set up for real-time monitoring of the situation, it added.