Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 27 (ANI): With cities in Uttar Pradesh having seen water-logging due to heavy rains, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday took potshots at the BJP government in the state and alleged that the key reason for the problem was “failure of the drainage system due to BJP-linked corruption”.
In a post on X, Akhilesh Yadav said the flow of rivers has been severely obstructed by the accumulation of silt due to pollutants and sewage flowing into rivers.
“The main reason for waterlogging in cities is not excessive rainfall, but rather the failure of the drainage system due to BJP-style corruption. If everything from drains to sewers is clogged with filth, where will the water drain out from? Due to various kinds of pollution and sewage flowing into rivers, the rivers' flow has been severely obstructed by the accumulation of silt. Building embankments to hold back the raging river waters is no effective solution,” he said.
He said a Samajwadi Party government will remove silt and deepen rivers to restore their natural flow.
“In the future, we will work to remove the silt from rivers and deepen them, so that the rivers can flow ceaselessly—meaning without any obstruction—in their natural form, and the creatures and ecosystem within them can naturally purify the rivers themselves,” he said.
Whether it's the capital Lucknow or smart cities like Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj, or other major cities, the situation is dire everywhere. There's also the fear of diseases spreading due to the filth. Especially the lives of people living on riverbanks and those dependent on river-based economies have been badly affected. It seems that even the tears from the BJP government's eyes are adding to the floodwaters. The BJP will go, and the river will be revitalized,” he added.
Authorities in parts of Uttar Pradesh gave directions for a holiday in the schools yesterday as a precautionary measure due to heavy rains. Schools in Lucknow, Prayagraj and Kanpur were closed.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed senior officials to personally monitor relief and rescue operations in rain-affected areas. He also instructed authorities to provide assistance to affected families and ensure compensation for losses caused by heavy rainfall and lightning.
In Varanasi, the receding Ganga left significant amounts of silt along the ghats. The Varanasi Municipal Corporation intensified cleaning and desilting operations. (ANI)
Main reason for waterlogging in UP cities not excessive rainfall, but “failure of drainage system due to BJP’s corruption”: Akhilesh Yadav
