Nitish appeals international community to solve flood issue

Patna, Aug 15 (UNI) Describing the recent floods as 'catastrophic', Bihar chief Minister Nitish Kumar today appealed to the international community to come out with a permanent solution to the natural disaster and construct a big dam in Nepal.

Unfurling the Tricolour on the occasion of the 61st Independence Day celebrations, Mr Kumar here said the state had faced the worst ever natural disaster this year and asked the international organisations to cooperate in the on-going relief work.

Mr Kumar highlighted the crisis caused due to the flood and urged the prime minister to constitute a special flood management strategy group in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) with representatives of External Affairs Ministry, Water Resources Ministry, Planning Commission and representatives from Bihar.

He dubbed the state's flood situation as an ''international problem'' as it was caused following the water released from Nepal.

''The group should evolve a strategy after negotiating with Nepal for construction of a high dam in Nepal,'' he suggested.

Mr Kumar further pointed that uplinking of rivers would also help solve the issue and appealed to the Centre to frame a detailed work plan in this regard.

He asked the Centre for financial assistance to the state for executing the projects being prepared for uplinking of rivers.

The chief minister said, ''As we cannot forget the contributions of the freedom fighters, we should also not neglect the plight of people affected in flood,'' Mr Kumar announced to provide three litres of kerosene in addition to the allotment of four litres to each flood affected families.

Besides, medicines, food grains, fodder and other essential requirements were being dispatched regulary in the flood affected areas.

Revealing the government's new policy on construction of houses, he said the government had decided to construct flood and earthquake resistant houses in the flood-prone districts.

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