Ensure blankets, bonfire at night shelters: CM

In view of incessant rains and cold wave sweeping across the state, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked officials to extend relief to farmers, poor people and destitutes by ensuring bonfire and blankets in state-run night shelters.

“The district officials should oversee the relief operation and provide adequate relief to the people affected by rain-related incidents. In case of loss of life and damage to house, the report should be sent to the government at the earliest so that the affected people get compensation at the earliest,” Yogi Adityanath said in a statement issued here on Thursday.

The chief minister also asked the district officials to visit the night shelters to see whether people were getting adequate facilities there.

The incessant rain and cold wave has thrown life out of order across the state. Western and central Uttar Pradesh has been lashed by incessant rain while some parts of eastern UP are engulfed in blanket of dense fog.

Rainfall was recorded in Barabanki, Kanpur, Lucknow, Unnao, Gonda, Hardoi, Etawah, Jalaun, Jhansi, Bijnor, Hapur, Mainpuri, Auraiya, Sitapur, Fatehgarh, Bahraich, Bulandshahr, Firozabad and Hamirpur.

The agriculture scientists have predicted that this continuous rain may affect the crop. “If we have continuous rains for next three-four days, then it would be detrimental for the crop. We are in touch with MeT department, which says the weather will clear up by next 24 hours in almost whole of UP,” said Dr NN Srivastava from UPCAR.

In view of the prevailing cold conditions, the district magistrates of Lucknow, Allahabad, Barabanki, Saharanpur, Kanpur, Bahraich and Ayodhya have closed primary schools and have revised the school timings for senior classes.