Centre deploys additional army columns, medical teams in Bihar

New Delhi, Sep 6 (UNI) A total of 37 army columns with 37 engineering task forces and 37 medical teams have been deployed by the Centre for rescue and relief operations in the five flood-ravaged Eastern Bihar districts.

Eleven Air Force helicopters, four Army helicopters and two Advance Light Helicopters have been deployed to airdrop food packets and provide logistics support.

The Navy has, meanwhile, deployed three relief teams and with additional 30 boats, the total availability of boats/bauts organised by the Union Government rose to 704. Besides, 792 NDRF personnel have been deployed.

On the food front, 1.25 lakh tonnes of food grains, including 75,000 tonnes of rice and 50,000 tonnes of wheat have been allocated. About 8,700 tents have already been dispatched and an additional 1,300 tents are being organised by the FICCI business chamber which will be dispatched shortly.

The West Bengal government has offered 50,000 plastic sheets for use in the relief camps. The Steel Ministry has organised supply of 10 lakh GI sheets for construction of relief camps and provided 10 satellite phones.

According to an official release, 3,95,320 drinking water bottles have been delivered and another 1,04,680 bottles were being sent. Three water purifying equipment having a capacity of 6,000 litres a day has reached. Ten more water purifying sets have been sent by the Indian Red Cross Society.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has organised the supply of 300 tonnes of essential medicines, including chlorine tablets, measles, vaccines, DPT, Oral Polio, TT, and vaccine logisticsc. On the state government's request, 100 fogging machines and 50 Ambulances are being organised.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has provided an additional 10,000 KL of kerosene oil for the affected areas. In addition, the Ministry will provide free LPG in the relief camps.

The Ministry of Water Resources has constituted a high-level team to suggest remedial measures to the state goverment for repair and strengthening of afflux bunds of the Kosi barrage and would coordinate with Nepal for early repairs.

Six supervisory teams have been formed for day-to-day co-ordination among the state engineers, Ganga Flood Control Commission and the Indian Embassy, Kathmandu for smooth working at the breached section.

MORE UNI SD ATI CS2102