CM to visit Bahraich today; hand over aid, land to 136 displaced families

Bahraich: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit Bahraich on Wednesday to distribute financial assistance and allot land for housing and toilets to 136 families being relocated from Bharthapur village.District magistrate Akshay Tripathi said the families, currently residing deep inside the core area of the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary, are being resettled in Semrahna village along a national highway in compliance with the chief minister's announcement.The CM will perform a bhoomi pujan and hand over cheques of Rs 15 lakh each to the families along with land allotment documents for houses and toilets at a programme to be held in Semrahna under Mihinpurwa tehsil, he said.The DM said that each family is being provided land for a permanent house and financial assistance for construction to ensure a safe and dignified life under the government's housing scheme.He added that the new settlement will have proper drainage, paved roads, green spaces, LED streetlights, drinking water facilities and other essential infrastructure. Schools and healthcare facilities for residents and their livestock will also be available nearby.The relocation plan gained urgency after a boat carrying villagers returning from a weekly market capsized in the Kaudiyala river on Oct 29 last year. Nine people including women and children were drowned while 13 were rescued. Seven bodies were recovered after days of search, while two children remain missing.Following the incident, Yogi conducted an aerial survey and visited the village, expressing condolences to the affected families. He announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the victims' families and directed officials to relocate residents to safer areas at the earliest.