'Avoid the Pomp & Grandeur': Drawing Attention Towards UP Floods, Mayawati Makes an Appeal for Gandhi Jayanti Celebrations

New Delhi: Expressing concern over loss of life and property in Uttar Pradesh due to incessant rains, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday appealed state government to avoid celebrating Gandhi Jayanti with "pomp and grandeur" and direct the funds towards millions affected in the wake of floods.

"In the wider interest and welfare of the public, Gandhi Jayanti should be marked with complete simplicity rather than a grand celebration. The government and non-government set aside for the events, should instead be directed towards relief work for flood-affected people," Mayawati tweeted.

Claiming that there have been "complaints of government indifference" on issue related to relief work, the BSP leader said that it would be better if the government pays immediate attention to people's concerns.

"Nearly 100 people have lost their lives due to heavy rains and lakhs of families have been affected, especially in Purvanchal (eastern UP). Waterlogging and other related issues have added to the woes, resulting in complaints. In such times, complaints of government indifference have also come to light. It would be better if the government pays immediate attention to pleas of people on relief and rescue operations," she said.

Directing attention to the agrarian sector in the state, Mayawati said that farming has also been severely affected the the Purvanchal region that required immediate attention of the state and central governments. "Else, life of crores, who are already reeling under poverty and unemployment, will worsen," she added.

Since last week, over 100 residents of Uttar Pradesh have been killed following incessant rains, with four more deaths being reported on Monday from Sonbhadra while hundreds of house have been damaged in the state's eastern districts.

The Ganga river is flowing above the danger mark in Ghazipur and Ballia, where authorities had to shift about 900 inmates of the district jail to other prisons after flood waters entered their barracks. The meteorological department has forecast more rains and thundershowers in several areas of the state on Tuesday.

The Uttar Pradesh government in a release on Monday said on September 26, 36 people died, 18 people on September 27, 28 on September 28, 18 people on September 29 and four on Monday. In total, 104 people have died since Thursday, it said.

Besides the Ganga, the Kwano river is flowing above the danger level at Chandradeepghat in Gonda district, according to the statement. The four deaths on Monday were reported from Sonbhadra, where as many as 219 kutcha houses were also damaged, it said.

"In Sonbhadra, two persons died due to snakebite, while one person died after a wall collapsed due to heavy rain, and another drowned to death in a drain," the statement said.

Of the 18 deaths on Sunday, information about four was received on Monday and these were due to wall collapses, it said. On September 28, one person died in Barabanki due to lightning, and another died due to snakebite. One person died in a wall collapse incident in Sultanpur.

On September 29, as many as 70 kutcha houses were damaged in Sultanpur and 21 huts in Sitapur, it stated.In Pratapgarh, 100 kutcha houses were damaged.

In Ballia, four deputy superintendents of police, 20 SHOs, 80 sub inspectors, 146 head constables and 380 constables were deployed to ensure safe shifting of the inmates. The decision to shift the inmates to other jails was taken to ensure their safety and health, District Magistrate Bhawani Singh Khangaraut said.

There is heavy water logging in the jail premises as of now, the DM said, adding low-lying areas have been also affected. Of the 900 prisoners, 500 were shifted to the Azamgarh jail and the remaining to Ambedkarnagar, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Ballia, Ram Asrey said.

The ADM said the jail is near the River Ganga which has been in spate and it is not possible to pump out water as large areas have water. The meteorological department has predicted rain and thunder showers at many places in eastern Uttar Pradesh on October 1. Heavy rain is very likely to occur at isolated places over western Uttar Pradesh on October 1.