Nitish Govt. failed to tackle flood situation in Bihar: Paswan

New Delhi, Aug 27 : Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Steel Ram Vilas Paswan today accused the Bihar Government of failing to handle the flood situation in the Sate, and charged it with failing to repair river embankments despite warning.

"Supaul, Araria, Madhepura, Samastipur, Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Saharsa districts are totally submerged in water and the tremendous loss cannot be assessed at this moment," Paswan told ANI over phone from Purnia.

The Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers and Steel is on an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas of Bihar. The floods have affected 15 districts of the State.

He said the Nitish Kumar government has failed to handle the situation and lakhs of people are suffering but the government is doing nothing to help them.

Paswan blamed the Nitish Kumar Government for the present situation in the flood affected areas, and said that the State Government has failed to take any precautionary measures.

"The State Government should have taken precautionary measures like repairing the damaged embankments, store food grains, keep boats etc in the affected areas in advance because flood is a regular feature Bihar," the Minister said.

With the Kosi river continuing to unleash its fury in Bihar districts bordering Nepal, over 20 lakh people are bearing the brunt of floods. The Army was called out to help the marooned people on Tuesday.

The Army will work in addition to three IAF helicopters dropping relief materials for the sixth day on Tuesday.

So far, 42 people have died in the flood in Bihar, official sources said.

Three IAF choppers airdropped relief materials in the flood-ravaged villages of Supaul, Araria and Madhepura districts where more than 12 lakh people were hit by the flood caused by the breach in the east Kosi afflux embankment in Nepal on August 18.

According to a Central Water Commission, the Kosi, Ganga, Ghaghra, Punpun and Burhi Gandak were flowing above the danger level at several places along their course.

The Bihar government has constituted a technical committee, headed by retired engineer-in-chief of the water resource department Nilendu Sanyal to supervise the restoration work and closure of the breach in the East Kosi afflux embankment. By Praful Kumar Singh

ANI