Lalu asks Nitish to step down if not capable to plug Kosi bund

Patna, Sep 16 (UNI) Railway Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad today asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to step down if he failed to plug the breached Kosi embankment at Kushaha and advised the NDA to elect its new leader in his place.

Clearing the Centre's stand over Kosi embankment, Mr Prasad told newspersons here that the responsibility of the Centre and the state government was prefixed according to which maintenance was state's duty, while the Centre was to provide fund and technical support for the purpose.

''The Bihar government cannot shy away from its responsibility,'' he said, adding if it fails to discharge its obligations, Mr Kumar should relinquish his post and the NDA should immediately elect its new leader.

The RJD Chief said that even without surveying and assessing the damages caused by the floods, Mr Kumar demanded rehabilitation package of Rs 9000 crore.

He blamed the Bihar government for the natural calamity the state was reeling under.

Mr Prasad said the engineers of Bihar were capable of repairing the breached embankment. Even two trucks of boulders could have saved the embankment from the breach,he added.

He alleged that the state government on one hand failed to protect the breach in the embankment while on the other it failed to provide relief to the flood victims which is evident from the letters written by the administration about the modous operandi for carrying out the relief work after 15 days of inundation.

Mr Prasad informed that he along with the former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi would tour the flood affected areas from tomorrow to provide relief to the flood victims and to share their pain and agony.

Once the relief operation was over, the rehabilitation programme would be launched, Mr Prasad announced saying that he had initiated efforts from his personal level for proper rehabilitation of the victims.The laid rules would be relaxed for reconstruction work, especially the damaged houses and government buildings.

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