UP Minister Swami Maurya slams Varun Gandhi's remark that state govt not doing enough for flood victims

New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Friday rejected BJP MP Varun Gandhi's observation that the state government was not doing enough to help flood-affected people in Pilibhit and Bareli districts.

Maurya said, "He (Varun Gandhi) might not be aware that the government has been active after the floods. For the past two days, district administration officials and Ministers are active in affected areas."Officials are providing the assistance given by the UP government, Maurya said. He added, "The government is also monitoring the flood situation and has noted the crop damage caused to farmers by flood. Compensation will be provided to them immediately."Maurya's remarks came after Gandhi visited his constituency, Pilibhit, and criticised the Yogi Adityanath government for not doing enough for people affected by floods.

Taking to Twitter, Gandhi said the Terai is badly flooded and the common man needs help.

"Much of the Terai is flooded. Donating dry rations by hand so that no family is hungry till this calamity ends. It's painful that when the common man needs the system the most, he's left to fend for himself. If every response is individual-led then what does 'governance' mean," Gandhi said in a tweet.

Earlier in the day, Pilibhit District Magistrate Pulkit Khare said that heavy rains lashed Pilibhit district on October 18 night and affected a total of 49 villages. Out of these 38 were affected majorly and 11 villages partially.

Khare said, "The rescue operation was started since then. The Indian Air Force helped in rescuing 26 and 14 people in the first and second phases and there has been no loss of lives so far."Medical services and food distribution has been provided and will continue further. For farmers who lost their crops, the compensation will be given immediately, Khare said.

Earlier today, the Uttar Pradesh Jal Shakti Minister Dr Mahendra Singh also conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected Pilibhit district.

Speaking to ANI, Bareilly District Magistrate Nitish Kumar said that the heavy rains in the hills and surrounding areas have caused flooding which wreaked havoc in about 42 villages in Bareilly.

The situation is worse in Mirganj, Sadar, Baheri and Fatehganj West of the district, he said.

"The rescue operation is underway and there is no loss of lives," he added.

On Friday, Uttar Pradesh Government released Rs 77,88,96,748 from the State Disaster Response Fund for providing compensation to 2,35,122 farmers across 35 districts of the state who are affected by floods and heavy rain.

As per IMD, rainfall is likely in isolated places of Western Uttar Pradesh on October 23 and October 24. (ANI)