Flood victims continue to languish along roadside in Bihar

Saharsa (Bihar), Sept 12 Unaware of the numerous relief camps run by the State Government, scores of flood victims still continue to languish on roadside in Bihar.

Languishing under the sun and lacking food and other bare necessities, these people are struggling for existence, under the tents, in Saharsa district.

Every day is a new challenge for them, as they gamble with their lives living on the roadside, where their safety is a major concern.

Though officials pay them a visit, these flood victims allege apathy on their part.

"We don't know about the relief camps. Nobody has told us anything about them. People visit us but do little to help us out. Our children are dying of hunger. We are on roadside where vehicles come and go, what if the children get crushed under them? We have lost everything in the floods," said Pavo Devi, a flood victim.

Meanwhile, speaking to the media after conducting an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas, State Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assured the flood victims of rehabilitation and reconstruction.

"Reconstruction work will be undertaken and the new construction would be better than before. Assistance will be provided for resuming agriculture, new houses will be constructed, and roads, agricultural land, and schools everything will be taken care of," Kumar said.

Floods have caused large-scale loss of life and property in six districts of the state since August, following an over 2,000-metre breach in the Kosi river embankment in neighbouring Nepal. People in Bihar have witnessed the worst floods in living memory. The catastrophe has taken a toll of over 90 lives and more than three million people have been displaced.

ANI