Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Ballia, interacted with affected people, heard their grievances and distributed relief materials.
Yogi said incidents of snake, scorpion and other venomous insect bites increase during floods, while cases of dog bites and attacks by wild animals are also reported. Yogi also alleged that the SP had patronised goons and the mafia in the state. He added that the foundation stone for a medical college in Ballia would be laid soon. The government is engaged in relief and rescue operations. Yogi also cited the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow as an example of what he described as corruption under the SP government.
Targeting the previous Samajwadi Party (SP) government, he alleged that flood victims did not even receive 500 grams of ration during its tenure and claimed relief material was looted by its leaders and workers. More than 1.71 lakh people and 251 villages have been affected by floods, while over 1,000 people have been shifted to safe shelters. Yogi distributed relief materials and medical kits to 1,500 flood-affected families. He said the centre was initially estimated to cost ₹ 200 crore, but the then SP government spent ₹ 864 crore on it and still left the project incomplete.
He said the earlier system was marked by “one district, one mafia”, while the BJP government was working towards “one district, one medical college”. The CM said the SP had become a “Pichhalaggu” (follower or tailender) of the Congress, which he said had once sought to undermine democracy. Yogi said Uttar Pradesh had never lacked resources or talent, with talented youth, hardworking farmers and potential for entrepreneurship and trade. He said adequate stocks of anti-snake venom and anti-rabies vaccines had been ensured at all community health centres and district hospitals.
He attributed the state’s earlier lag to the policies and corruption of previous governments.
