Lalu to give comprehensive report to PM on Bihar floods

Patna, Sep 5 (UNI) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad today said he would submit a comprehensive report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on loss of human lives and property due to catastrophic floods in north Bihar.

After making an aerial survey of the area, where Kosi embankment had breached at Kushaha in Nepal on August 18, Mr Prasad told reporters here that catastrophic floods in Bihar was the result of 'negligence' of the Nitish Kumar government.

'' If Nitish Kumar regine had taken suitable steps for protection of the Kosi embankment in time, Bihar would not have faced suchd a situation'' Mr Prasad said, adding the devastating floods had pushed the state 50 years back in development and prosperity.

Mr Prasad alleged that the state government was suppressing the figures of casualties in north Bihar and real data in this regard could be known only after the government employees would conduct house to house survey.

The Railway Minister dismissed any sort of speculations of the President's Rule in Bihar in the event of the failure of the state government in tackling the flood situation leading to loss of precious human lives and property worth crores of rupees.

Massive reconstruction works of damaged roads, houses schools, government buildings and hopitals would be carried out under the various schemes, including Bharat Nirman Yojna and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna of the Centre.

On appeal from the Prime Minister, all the Union Ministers had donated their one month salary for relief to the flood victims in North Bihar, he added.

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