Before CM Yogi’s visit, bonfires and blankets in place at raen basera

While the homeless and the poor are complaining about poor arrangements of bonfires in the state capital, it was a ‘scene in contrast’ at a raen basera in Jiamau when chief minister Yogi Adityanath paid a visit.

Lucknow: While the homeless and the poor are complaining about poor arrangements of bonfires in the state capital, it was a ‘scene in contrast’ at a raen basera in Jiamau when chief minister Yogi Adityanath paid a visit here on Wednesday night – the bonfire outside was lit up and those staying inside the shelter home had got blankets.

With the minimum temperature in Lucknow dipping to 7.3 degrees Celsius, people on the streets in different localities remained deprived of the basic facility like bonfires. (HT Photo)

This was in sharp contrast to a slum at Balu Adda, where the poor were forced to burn polythene bags, tyres and other stuff (in picture) to light a bonfire to combat the cold.

With the minimum temperature in Lucknow dipping to 7.3 degrees Celsius, people on the streets in different localities remained deprived of the basic facility like bonfires.

A status check by HT revealed that there were hardly any arrangements for bonfire in areas such as Lal Kuan, Hussainganj and Nazarbagh. This was in contrast to LMC’s tall claims of having made arrangements for adequate bonfires in the city.

People claimed that the LMC made arrangements for bonfires on VIP stretches and outside VIPs’ houses to keep their security staff warm and at other places demanded by corporators.

Talking about the matter, a state government spokesman had then claimed that till December 27, 23,657 bonfires were lit across the state and 1,64,276 free blankets were distributed. Besides, 708 night shelters were established across the state.