More than 11 lakh people affected, efforts amped up for safe evacuation

Patna: Amid grim flood situation in Bihar where around 11.84 lakh lives have been hit, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who hails from the state, visited the affected areas and said that he would share details of the “frightening” conditions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who returned from New Delhi a day ago, also undertook an aerial survey of the areas inundated as a result of release of millions of cusecs of water, in a barrage along the border, by Nepal which was battered by record rainfall over the weekend.

According to the state disaster management department, packets of food and other relief materials were air-dropped by the Indian Air Force helicopters which benefitted more than two lakh people in Sitamarhi and Darbhanga districts.

Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary, who met Union Jalshakti Minister CR Patil in Delhi a day ago, said he has urged the latter to consider construction of “an additional barrage” to check recurring floods that wreak devastation in areas bordering Nepal every year.

Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and represents the Hajipur constituency, spent hours in badly affected districts like Purnia and Saharsa inspecting the relief work, listening to the grievances of the people and, on some occasions, pulling up errant officials.

“I am satisfied with the handling of the situation by the state government. It is an unprecedented situation. At some places, people raised some issues and I directed officials accordingly,” he said.

Meanwhile, according to the disaster management department, the number of people affected by floods has reached 11.84 lakhs and they are spread across 368 panchayats, falling under 78

blocks of 16 districts.

According to the state water resources development ministry, breaches in embankments have been reported from seven places in four districts.

For safe evacuation of people, altogether 16 teams of NDRF and 14 of the state disaster response force (SDRF) have been pressed into service. In addition, six more teams of NDRF were on their way from Varanasi and Ranchi.