NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
The overall flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim Monday with major rivers the Kosi, the Bagmati, the Burhi Gandak, the Gandak and the Adhwara rising following incessant rains in their catchment areas.
According to the Central Water Commission, the Kosi was flowing above the danger mark at Kursela and Baltara while the Burhi Gandak topped the danger level by 51 cm and 22 cm at Khagaria and Lalbegia.
The swirling waters of the Bagmati topped the danger mark at Benibad by 70 cm and its tributary, the Adhwara river was flowing above the danger mark by 64 cm at Kamtaul.
Official sources said in the worst-hit Gopalganj, the home district of Chief Minister Rabri Devi, fresh areas were submerged by swirling waters of the Gandak in Manjha, Barauli and Baikunthpu blocks.
The North Eastern Railway suspended train services on the Gopalganj-Chapra route as flood waters flooded tracks between Manjha and Ratansarai stations.
In East Champaran district, the Siktrahana and its tributary Tilawe continued to play havoc inundating countryside areas.
Vehicular traffic was affected on the national highway from Bihar to Nepal via Raxual.
Army personnel stepped up relief and rescue operations in Gopalganj and air-dropped 3,400 food packets and distributed an additional 800 packets among the flood-hit people using mechanised boats.
Vehicular traffic was also disrupted at a few places in Madhubani and Darbhanga district.
According to state relief and rehabilitation department sources, over one million people have been affected by the floods, which had caused extensive damage to houses, property and crops.
Ten persons have so far lost their lives in Bihar due to the floods.
Meanwhile, Rabri Devi said she would call for an all-party meeting soon to discuss the situation.
The districts affected are Gopalganj, Chapra, East Champaran, West Champaran, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Khagaria and Begusarai, official sources said.
Meanwhile, in New Delhi there were unruly scenes in the Lok Sabha for half an hour with ruling as well as opposition members from Bihar repeatedly storming the well saying that little is being done to provide relief to the flood-affected people.
Amidst pandemonium during zero hour, Rashtriya Janata Dal members alleged that the Centre was not providing funds to the state government to tackle the "grim" flood situation while ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Samata Party members complained that the RJD government had failed to protect the people.
In a bid to pacify them, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan said Water Resources Minister Arjun Sethi tabled a five-page statement on the floods in different parts of the country keeping in view the members' concern which drew instant reaction from the former prime minister Chandra Shekhar.
Chandra Shekhar said the statement had not mentioned anything about Bihar and it had only given historical facts as to what was done in the past to protect the people from floods. "What face will the Bihar MPs would show to their people?" he asked.
Angry members returned to their seats after Mahajan assured that a central team would visit Bihar this week to assess the damage.
Mahajan further said the Business Advisory Committee would meet Tuesday and fix a date for discussion on the floods.
RELATED REPORT Six killed in police firing at Bihar flood relief centre Back to top (c) Copyright 2001 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent. Tell us what you think of this report
Tell us what you think of this report
