Sonia surveys U.P. floods

Gorakhpur, SEPT. 13. The Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, today blamed the Centre and the State Government, ruled by the BJP, for their indifference to the massive loss of lives and property in floods in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and demanded a long- term plan to check the recurrence of such a calamity.

Talking to mediapersons at Gorakhpur airport, after an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas in Gorakhpur and Maharajganj districts, Ms. Gandhi said she spoke to a cross section of people and everybody complained that they had not received relief material from the government.

Ms. Gandhi said the Centre had assured that appropriate action would be taken to check floods after she had written to Prime Minister Vajpayee in 1998, but nothing was done. Hundreds of people died and property worth several hundred crores of rupees was destroyed again this year, she added.

She has assured the flood-affected people of all kinds of assistance from the AICC. Seva Dal workers had already reached the flood-affected villages and were organising camps which would continue till the floods waters recede, she said.

Floods receding

Meanwhile, barring the south Gorakhpur and north Deoria district, the flood waters have started receding in the Gorakhpur division.

According to official sources, more than 100 villages between Rapti and Gorra were still inundated as flood waters gushed into new areas. While airdropping of food packets was stopped, the army and the police continued with their efforts to rescue the marooned.

- UNI

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