Lok Sabha express concern over Flood situation

New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) The precarious situation arising out of floods in various parts of the country came into focus in the Lok Sabha today where members urged the government to announce an adequate relief and rehabilitation package for the victims of the deluge at the earliest.

A suggestion was also made that the Centre evolve a mechanism to ensure that money given to various states from the Calamity Relief Fund was properly utilised.

Members, particularly from Bihar, which was reeling under flash floods, wanted the country to discuss with Nepal the steps to construct dams over rivers flowing down to Bihar from the Himalayas.

They reminded the government of the Indo-Nepal Treaty under which it was decided to draw a long-term solution for floods which devastated the whole region almost every year.

Initiating the debate under rule 193, Mr Sita Ram Singh(RJD) regretted that whenever there were floods, discussions were held in the House but nothing had been done to find a lasting solution to the problem. He said, in Bihar till now about 300 people had died in the floods.

He sought proper compensation for the crop and houses perished in the flood fury.

Mr Anil Basu, CPI(M), while pointing out that some segments of his constituency were submerged under flash floods, wanted to know what the Ganga Floods Control Authority and Central Water Commission were doing to bring the situation under control. He said the compensation of Rs 4,000 to the victims was ''too meagre''. He called for a national action plan to control recurring floods.

Mr Madhusudan Mistri (Cong) alleged that the Gujarat government was not even alarmed by the death of 290 people, so far in the flash floods till in the state. He said Chief Minister Narendra Modi had gone on a foreign tour and for 3-4 days no relief measures were undertaken.

He said a mechanism must be evolved to see if the money sent to the state government for the purpose from the Calamity Fund was utilised properly. He charged the state government with discriminating in disbursing relief to the victims.

Mr Tapir Gao, BJP, emphasised the need to activate the whole machinery at district level with para military, medical teams and rescue missions in full readiness in anticipation, ahead of the rainy seasons to meet any eventual flood situation. He said small states of the north-eastern regions should not be discriminated against in providing funds as relief for the calamity.

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