JOIN USFlood threat eases in Bihar as Ganga recedes
The flood situation in Bihar eased on Sunday, with the rampaging Ganga receding further in most parts of the state, excluding Bhagalpur and Katihar.
Panic gripped these two districts in eastern Bihar after a link embankment at Madheli in Katihar breached on Saturday night. Though floodwater did not enter Katihar town, the breach saw water gushing down to the five blocks of the district.
“Around 40,000 people who have been affected by the link embankment breach have been evacuated,” said principal secretary of disaster management department Vyas Ji. He added that more NDRF and SDRF personnel were deployed for rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the movement of trains was affected between Katihar and Barauni after the railway track was submerged in floodwater near Naugachia. The road
connectivity to Bhagalpur has already been affected after NH 80 and NH 31, linking the eastern town with Bengal and other north-eastern states, were damaged.
Earlier, 231 inmates were shifted from Naugachia to Bhagalpur jail when floodwater entered the Naugachia sub jail premises.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who undertook an aerial survey of Bhagalpur and nearby marooned areas on Sunday, asked the district magistrate and other officials of the disaster management department to leave no stone unturned in providing succour to the flood-affected people.
“There should be no laxity in providing relief to the marooned people,” Nitish warned the senior district officials.
Meanwhile, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, flanked by his son and deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav, on Sunday made an aerial survey of Buxar, Ara, Saran and Vaishali, the four districts severely affected by an overflowing Ganga for the past week.
However, Ganga showed signs of receding when the water level came down by 12 cm between Buxar and Munger. “Ganga maiyya ab shaant hai. (Mother Ganga is now calm). But there is still two to three feet of floodwater in Diara areas,” said Lalu, adding that health department officials had been asked to distribute bleaching powder and halogen tablets. Incidentally, Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap is the state health minister.
The RJD chief lamented that the Centre had not shown any eagerness to help Bihar during the crisis situation.
“On the contrary, the BJP leaders here are busy taking out the Tiranga yatra at a time when there is a calamity in the state,” said Lalu.