Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to Varanasi district magistrate Satyendra Kumar and mayor Ashok Tiwari over the phone and obtained detailed information about flood situation in the temple town.
The PM, who represents Varanasi in Lok Sabha, directed that relief work for flood-affected people be carried out on a war footing. He also inquired about the Ganga’s water level as well as the arrangements at relief camps.
Modi instructed officials to maintain constant vigilance over flood situation and relief operations and ensure that relief reaches the affected people without delay.
In Varanasi, flood has displaced 2,910 people from 640 families because low-lying areas are inundated due to rising water levels of the Ganga and the Varuna due to incessant rain in the temple town and various other parts of the state.
Of the 640 displaced families, 407 have taken shelter in 16 flood relief camps set up in Badi Bazar, Salarpur, Konia, Sikraul, Dhelwaria, Daniyalpur, Hukulganj among others, whereas 233 families are living in their neighbourhood, said a flood bulletin issued by Varanasi district administration. Saraiya, Dhelwaria and Salarpur and several other localities are heavily affected by the flood.
According to the Central Water Commission, the water level of the Ganga was recorded 70.60 metres in Varanasi on Wednesday and the rising trend was continuing. It has already crossed warning level: 70.262 metres. Currently, water is rising at the rate of 2cm per hour.
Officials said 98 flood relief kits were distributed among the flood-affected people, and a total of 11,255 food packets, including 3,110 distributed on Wednesday, were given to the affected people at the flood relief camps.
The district magistrate said he is personally monitoring the situation and ensuring that people living in the flood relief camps do not face any inconvenience. He has instructed the officials to stay alert and extend help to the flood affected people in the camps.
