Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 4 : Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Prayagraj on Monday, as the rising water level of River Ganga triggered alarm across the region.
After the aerial survey, Maurya said that the current flood situation had crossed the severity of the 2013 floods.
"Today, I did an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Prayagraj. After this, I will also do a survey from the boat. This flood is surpassing the flood levels of 2013. The water level of the River Ganga is increasing continuously, which is a matter of concern. The Govt is doing everything to help the flood-affected people... It is the priority of the government to ensure that the people do not face any difficulty," the Deputy CM told ANI.
A day earlier, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was closely monitoring the flood situation across the state, issuing timely directives to ensure effective relief efforts.
Acting on his instructions, state ministers are inspecting affected areas, while Relief Commissioner Bhanu Chandra Goswami informed that floods have impacted 37 tehsils and 402 villages, affecting 84,392 people. Of these, 47,906 have received assistance, and 2,759 animals have been shifted to safer locations.
Currently, 17 districts, including Kanpur Nagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Agra, Auraiya, Chitrakoot, Ballia, Banda, Ghazipur, Mirzapur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Chandauli, Jalaun, Kanpur Dehat, Hamirpur, Etawah, and Fatehpur, are grappling with the impact of flooding. Relief and rescue operations are underway in full swing, with continuous patrolling by NDRF, SDRF, and PAC personnel.
Meanwhile, floods have caused damage to 343 homes so far, with compensation already distributed to 327 families. Over 4,015 hectares of land have also been affected. Relief supplies are being delivered using 493 boats and motorboats.
To support those impacted, 6,536 food packets and 76,632 lunch packets have been distributed so far. Moreover, 29 community kitchens (langars) have been set up to provide fresh meals to the victims.
The Yogi government is also prioritising the well-being of livestock. Around 500 quintals of fodder have been distributed. In addition, to prevent waterborne diseases, 129,571 chlorine tablets and 37,089 ORS packets have been provided.
A total of 905 flood shelters are currently operational, housing 11,248 displaced individuals. 757 health teams are conducting medical check-ups, while 1,193 flood posts have been set up to monitor the evolving situation. These ministers are inspecting the flood-affected areas and will stay overnight in the district.