Nitish orders embankment repair

Patna, Jun 17 (UNI) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today ordered immediate repairment of broken embankments of Bagmati and the other rivers in north Bihar which have inundated at least 100 villages.

The overall flood situation in the state, however, remains unchanged.

As a result of flash floods, over 100,000 people in the affected areas have been rendered homeless and are facing immense misery.

After a review meeting with Water Resources Minister Ramashray Prasad Singh and senior officers of the department, the chief minister issued directives to step-up relief and rescue operations in all the affected areas without further delay.

''Sufficient relief should be distributed among the marooned people,'' he said while making it clear that no laxity on the part of the government officials would be tolerated and be dealt with sternly.

Suggesting the officials to seek cooperation from the local body representatives in carrying out relief and rescue operations, the chief minister said, ''No one can prevent natural calamities like floods but its devastating effect could be minimised to a great extent through better coordination among various agencies engaged in relief and rescue operations.'' Meanwhile, the Water Resources Minister said a team of engineers had been sent to Pachnour village in Sitasmarhi and other flood-affected districts of north Bihar to repair the breached embankments.

Several villages in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts were inundated with flood water enteriong the home of lakhs of people, he said, adding that sufficient number of country boats and motor boats were pressed into service to rescue the marooned people.

Efforts were being made to evacuate people to safer places from the areas which were vulnerable to floods, he added.

UNI