CM VISITS STORM AFFECTED AREAS, SUSPENDS DUES’ RECOVERY
RELIEF MEASURES CM promises ‘pucca’ houses for those rendered shelterless by the storm
AGRA: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday ordered suspension of revenue and electricity dues’ recovery in thunderstorm affected rural areas of Agra district. He also promised ‘pucca’ houses for those rendered shelter-less due to Wednesday’s storm. The chief minister also condemned ‘politics over tragedies of victims on twitter’.
AGRA: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday ordered suspension of revenue and electricity dues’ recovery in thunderstorm affected rural areas of Agra district.
He also promised ‘pucca’ houses for those rendered shelterless due to Wednesday’s storm.
Yogi, who stayed overnight at circuit house here, went to the surgery ward of SN Medical College Hospital at 8.30 am where 21 patients, injured in the thunderstorm, were admitted.
He met eight other injured persons in the district hospital of Agra before going on an aerial survey of the storm-hit areas. He met the affected families in Fatehabad and Kheragarh tehsils.
Addressing the villagers, Yogi said: “I have directed the district administration and public representatives of my party to initiate relief work at places that had suffered damages due to the storm. Kheragarh, having lost 25 lives, and Fatehabad, where 13 were killed, were the worst-affected in Agra and disaster management was initiated immediately. Most of the affected families have been provided relief as we can understand their grief,” said Yogi.
“Compensation of ₹4 lakh was handed over to dependents of the deceased and arrangements were made for treatment of those injured. The district administration has been asked not to let any of the affected persons suffer in this hour of crisis,” he said.
“Over 8000 electricity poles have fallen in the storm and thus measures are being taken for
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I have directed the district administration and public representatives of my party to initiate relief work at places that had suffered damages due to the storm
YOGI ADITYANATH, chief minister
early restoration of power supply,” he assured.
“We will provide ‘pucca’ houses to those rendered shelterless and recovery of revenue and electricity dues will be suspended in the affected areas. The loss of crop, cattle and other damages are being assessed and would be duly compensated,” Yogi assured.
The chief minister stressed on accurate advance alerts on natural calamities in future so as losses could be minimized.
Meanwhile, the CM flew to Kanpur from Agra and asked the officers to stay alert for any exigency and ensure that relief reaches to those affected by the dust storm.
He released ₹50 lakh for the replacement of 1,976 electrics poles which got damaged during the storm.
He also directed for the suspension of revenue collection in the affected villages till further orders.
Yogi had to visit the affected villages in Sarsaul but his schedule was changed. Residents of Sarsaul protested over the change of schedule but were pacified by the officials.
He said those who lost their houses in the storm should be given houses under PM Awas Yojana and their daughters should be included in the Samuhik Vivah Yojana.
He directed the officials to restore power supply in villages within seven days.
The CM also warned district magistrates of Kanpur Dehat Rakesh Kumar Singh and Mainpuri Pradeep Kumar for delay in sending report of damage caused to the crop in the dust storm.
An official spokesman said the chief minister has asked all the district magistrates to send report about the losses immediately and any laxity in relief operations would not be tolerated.
FLAYS AKHILESH’S ‘POLITICS ON TRAGEDY’
The chief minister condemned ‘politics over tragedies of victims on twitter’.
He was replying to criticism by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for his (Yogi’s) absence from UP after the thunderstorm, as he had gone to Karnataka for campaigning.
Yogi, however, cut short his Karnataka visit to tour the storm-affected areas.
Yogi said, “Akhilesh has lost compassion. He should have stood with the victims instead of playing politics on twitter.”
“Instead of extending a helping hand to the victims, he (Akhilesh) chose to stay back and add salt to injury of the victims through his twitter comment. This is indeed condemnable, unfortunate and shameful,” the chief minister added.