Govt to seek Army help for relief and rescue operation

Patna, July 29(UNI) With flood situation deteriorating further, state government has decided to seek the help of Army to step up the relief and rescue operation in north Bihar.

Secretary of the disaster management department Manoj Srivastav said Muzaffarpur district administration had sent an SOS message to the state government requesting deployment of army personnel to accelerate the relief and rescue operation in Aurai, Katra, Gaighat, and Minapur blocks-- the worst hit areas in the district.

'' After a review of the flood situation, state government would requisition the services of army boats and air force helicopters for augmenting the relief operations in flood ravaged areas in north Bihar'', he said adding breach in embankments on Lalkhandi river near Aurai in Muzaffarpur district had led to inundation of the low lying villages, affecting the rescue operations in the area.

Meanwhile, Bihar Governor R S Gavai has directed the ministers and legislators to remain present and supervise the distribution of relief materials among the victims. Immediate steps should be taken to prevent outbreak of any epidemic, he added.

Mr Gavai also directed the state government to supply adequate quantity of medicines required for the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery in the flood hit areas.

''Anti-poison serum should also be provided to help the victims of snakes bites and bites of other reptiles'', he added.

Altogether 44 people had lost their lives in flood in different parts of the state so far and the situation continued to remain grim following heavy downpour during the last 15 days in catchment areas of majority of the rivers of Bihar.

More than 11 lakhs of the people were affected in flood fury while standing crops in thousand of hectares were damaged in Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Saharsa, East Champaran, West Champaran and Bhagalpur districts.

UNI