Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that well-planned efforts made in the last six years to find a long-term solution to the flood problem, which has been a major cause of widespread loss of life and property in the state for decades, have given positive outcomes.
While reviewing the ongoing preparations for flood management and safety of public life with senior officials, Yogi said, “There has been an unprecedented reduction in the number of flood-prone districts. As per the advice of experts, we have been successful in minimising the risk of flooding by using the latest technology.”
He said, “Coordination between departments has been effective in ensuring that people are safe from floods. With better coordination, prompt action and better management, the safety of the people should be ensured in case of floods this year as well.”
The CM said that since 2017–18, 982 flood projects have been completed giving top priority to the safety of the public and their property. “In this, 282 projects have been completed in the year 2022-23 alone. At present, a total of 412 projects are under implementation including 265 new projects, 7 dredging related projects and 140 projects already underway. It is encouraging to see that 50 per cent of the work has been completed. The remaining work should be completed within the stipulated time,” he said.
He said that 24 districts, including Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Gorakhpur, Basti, Bahraich, Bijnor, Siddharth Nagar, Ghazipur, Gonda, Ballia, Deoria, Sitapur, Balrampur, Ayodhya, Mau, Farrukhabad, Shravasti, Badaun, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Pilibhit and Barabanki along with Saharanpur, Shamli, Aligarh, Bareilly, Hamirpur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Rampur, Prayagraj, Bulandshahr, Moradabad, Hardoi, Varanasi, Unnao, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, and Kasganj are sensitive in nature and are in the most vulnerable category from flood point of view.
Yogi said that Adequate reserve stock should be collected for flood emergencies in very sensitive and vulnerable areas. “Adequate lighting arrangements and necessary equipment should also be arranged at these places. All 780 Flood Protection Committees should remain in active mode. The District Magistrate themselves should inspect the extremely sensitive and sensitive embankments,” he directed.
He said Irrigation and Water Resources, Home, Medical and Health, Irrigation and Water Resources, Food and Logistics, Revenue and Relief, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, State Disaster Management, and Remote Sensing Authority must make better coordination with the Indian Meteorological Department, Central Water Commission and the Central Disaster Management Authority.
The CM said, “Maintain continuous communication with central agencies and departments. The assessment and estimation report received from here should be made available to the officers posted in the field on time. Efforts should be made to develop a better system of accurate forecasts of lightning with the help of Indian Government agencies.
He said that 523 embankments with a length of 3,869 kilometres have been constructed on various rivers for protection from floods in the state. “In view of the possibility of flooding, continuous monitoring of all the embankments should be done. Flood relief control rooms at the state level and district level should be in active mode round the clock,” he said.
Yogi said that all flood-prone embankments should be repaired. “We have to make concerted efforts for flood as well as water logging. The District Magistrates themselves should take care of the arrangements to prevent water logging by taking interest. In each case, the work of cleaning drains should be completed by June 30,” he directed.
He said that it is crucial that no one with criminal backgrounds, mafia tendencies or a bad reputation be permitted to bid on projects for the irrigation department. “This should be ensured by examining it minutely while deciding on the contractor. If this is discovered to be taking place and any government officer or employee is found to be involved, action will be taken against him as guilty of complicity,” he said.
The CM directed to review the pre-flood preparations in the presence of DMs, MPs, MLAs, District Panchayat Presidents, Mayors, and Chairpersons of Urban Bodies in the districts of hypersensitive and sensitive nature. “This work should be done in the first week of June,” he said.
He said that the UP Police Radio Headquarters has established 113 wireless centres in flood-affected districts.
“This center should remain active round the clock during the entire monsoon period. Districts should have their own action plan for disaster management. Youth should be trained with the help of NDRF and SDRF. DMs must do physical inspections of sensitive places along with public representatives,” he said.
Yogi said that the designated officers in charge should be in alert mode around the clock on all vulnerable embankments. “The embankments were continuously inspected and monitored by the regional officers and employees. Keep an eye on the condition of rat holes and rain cuts during the initial days of rain,” he said.
He said that continuous monitoring should be done in the situation of floods and excessive rainfall. “Continuous monitoring of the water level of the rivers should be done. NDRF, SDRF, PAC and disaster management teams should be in active mode in the affected districts. The help of Aapda Prabandhan Mitra, volunteers of Civil Defence should be taken as per requirement. They should also be given proper training,” he said.
The CM directed to make arrangements for boats and relief material well in time. “There should be no delay in relief works in flood and excessive rain-affected areas. The affected families should receive all necessary assistance as soon as possible. The boats should be of large size. Small boats and canoes should not be used at all. Everyone on the boat must be wearing life-saving jackets,” he said.
He said that the chances of the spread of diseases increase during and after floods. “In such a situation, special health kits should be prepared by the Medical and Health Department and sent to the districts. Chlorine, ORS, fever medicines, etc should be available in sufficient quantities. In case of a dog or snake bite, the affected people should get immediate medical help. People should be told not to drink flood water at all, whenever you drink water, drink it after boiling it. A team of doctors should visit the relief camps,” he said.
Yogi said that the DMs should ensure that silt is not poured on the private land of any farmer. “If it is necessary to do so in special circumstances, then the farmer should be taken into confidence and proper disposal of silt should be done through MNREGA,” he said.
