Bahraich (UP), March 24 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit Bahraich on March 25 to distribute financial assistance and allocate land for housing and toilets to 136 families being relocated from the Bharthapur village, officials said on Tuesday.
District Magistrate (DM) Akshay Tripathi said that the families, currently residing deep within 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 chief minister will perform a bhoomi pujan (ground-breaking ceremony) 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.
Tripathi said that the formalities related to the relocation were completed after cabinet approval last month, and preparations are underway for the event, pending formal confirmation from the chief minister's office.
Bharthapur village, located in Mihinpurwa tehsil near the Nepal border, is geographically vulnerable, surrounded by the Gerua and Kaudiyala rivers on two sides and dense forests on the other. With no road connectivity, residents have been dependent on boats for daily needs and often travel through forest paths amid threats from wild animals.
Boat travel is also risky due to the presence of crocodiles and other aquatic animals, making life extremely difficult for villagers.
The relocation plan gained urgency after a boat carrying villagers returning from a weekly market capsized in the Kaudiyala river on October 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, Adityanath conducted an aerial survey on November 2 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.
He also suggested that the new settlement be named after Bharthapur, officials added.