Steel PSUs to establish 150 relief camps in flood hit districts of Bihar

New Delhi, Sept 1 : The Public Sector Undertakings under the Ministry of Steel will set up 150 relief camps in the flood hit Districts of Bihar and 25 camps will be set up in each of the six worst affected ones.

Union Minister for Steel, Chemicals and Fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan said this in a press conference today after meeting the heads of the PSUs under his Ministry to gear up relief measures.

He said the entire nation is concerned as the floods have rendered lakhs of people homeless and without food and basic amenities.

The Prime Minister who visited the State had already declared it as a "national calamity".

Paswan had a meeting with the CMDs of the PSUs - SAIL, RINL, NMDC, MOIL, MSTC, FSNL, MECON, BRL, SIIL, HSCL, KIOCL and Bird Group of companies under the Steel Ministry to gear up relief efforts.

The decisions taken in the meeting includes establishment of one health camp each in the six districts which will provide medical assistance and medicines from September 4. The doctors for the same will be provided by the Steel PSUs from their own hospitals.

Bihar government has made a request for provision of 20 lakh G I Sheets and 40 lakh feet of pipes. The Ministry of Steel will ensure priority delivery of this material to the State.

The centre continues to extend all possible assistance to Bihar Government for supplementing their efforts in managing the flood situation.

Navy has deployed four officers, 131 personnel and 45 Geminies (rubber boats) with out-boat motors in Purnia and Madhepura. More additional Army Columns are being deployed. Three helicopters are under deployment in addition to the existing nine helicopters.

A total of 320 boats have been deployed till today. Additional 197 boats are being organized by Army, Central para-military forces. A total of 686 National Defence Reserve Force (NDRF) personnel have been deployed so far. 14 Satellite phones have been provided.

5767 tents have been dispatched till today and additional 1922 tents are being organized. Govt. of West Bengal has offered 50,000 plastic sheets for use in the relief camps, having a capacity to accommodate six-seven lakh people.

Five lakh bottles of drinking water have been sent till today.

National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) headed by Cabinet Secretary is reviewing the flood situation. A high level committee headed by Cabinet Secretary is visiting the affected areas on Tuesday.

ANI