24 districts highly flood-prone, prepare in advance for floods: Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday reviewed the ongoing flood management preparations and safety measures with senior officials and provided necessary guidelines for the wider public interest.

The chief minister said that a total of 24 districts in the state are categorised as highly sensitive to flooding. These include Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Lakhimpur Kheri, Gorakhpur, Basti, Bahraich, Bijnor, Siddharth Nagar, Ghazipur, Gonda, Ballia, Deoria, Sitapur, Balrampur, Ayodhya, Mau, Farrukhabad, Shravasti, Budaun, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Sant Kabir Nagar, Pilibhit and Barabanki.

Additionally, Saharanpur, Shamli, Aligarh, Bareilly, Hamirpur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Rampur, Prayagraj, Bulandshahr, Moradabad, Hardoi, Varanasi, Unnao, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur and Kasganj are considered sensitive.

He directed officials to ensure better coordination between the Indian Meteorological Department, Central Water Commission, and Central Disaster Management Authority with the state's Irrigation and Water Resources, Home, Medical and Health, Food and Civil Supplies, Revenue and Relief, Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, State Disaster Management and Remote Sensing Authority.

Continuous communication with central agencies and departments should be maintained. Assessment and estimation reports should also be promptly shared with field officers for effective response and management.

The chief minister said that in the past seven years, well-planned efforts to find a permanent solution to the longstanding problem of floods, which have caused widespread loss of life and property in the state, have produced positive results.

“There has been an unprecedented reduction in the number of districts highly sensitive to flooding. Following expert advice, we have successfully minimised flood risks by using the latest technology. Effective inter-departmental coordination has played a crucial role in protecting lives from floods. This year as well, the safety of people should be ensured through better coordination, swift action, and improved management in the event of floods,” he said.

He further said that a sufficient reserve stock should be collected for flood emergencies in highly sensitive and sensitive areas. Adequate lighting and necessary equipment should also be arranged at these sites.

He pointed out that according to the forecast of the IMD, there will be sufficient rainfall this year. He asked officials to maintain vigilance in the districts bordering Nepal and Uttarakhand. Flood bulletins and weather forecasts should be issued regularly for the convenience of the general public and for better management of relief and rescue operations.