Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday, in the wake of widespread rainfall in the state, and directed his ministers to oversee relief and rescue operations in the districts under their charge.
As per a report from the relief commissioner's office, 1,370 villages in 18 districts of the state are affected by floods due to heavy rainfall in the last couple of days. Adityanath reviewed the flood situation and issued directions to expedite the relief and rehabilitation work in the affected districts. District control rooms should be functional round the clock under the leadership of a joint magistrate-level officer, he said.
Due to excessive rainfall in the last few days, adverse effects have been seen on life, livestock and agriculture, the chief minister said. Loss of public and private property has been reported from several districts, he added. The state government is committed to making necessary arrangements for safety and maintenance of all affected people, an official statement quoted Adityanath as saying.
As per the relief commissioner's report, three people have died in the state due to excessive rainfall, and one each due to lightning, snakebite and drowning. Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the Chief Minister said relief should be provided to the families of the deceased immediately and proper treatment arranged for the injured.
Adityanath further said immediate help should be provided to people in the flood-affected areas. There should be no delay in the distribution of relief packets, and there should be adequate arrangements in relief camps, he said. Reviewing the impact on agricultural crops, the chief minister said teams of revenue and agriculture departments should do a thorough survey and assess the damage so that farmers can be compensated.
(With PTI inputs)
