Nitish indulging in 'flood tourism': BJP

Patna, Aug 30: BJP today accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of indulging in "flood tourism" while the condition in relief camps, housing lakhs of affected people, remained unsatisfactory.

"Nitish Kumar is indulging in flood tourism. Despite his visits, the condition of relief camps remained unsatisfactory," senior Bihar BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi told reporters.

He was replying to a question that Kumar has accused union ministers of indulging in flood tourism in Bihar without doing anything so that the state could get adequate assistance from the Centre.

Modi, who has been visiting flood affected areas, said when Kumar likened the flood situation with the devastation caused by 2008 flood in Kosi region, why not Special District Magistrates have been appointed like that time.

The ministers in-charge of districts are in Patna and not in the areas allotted to them, he alleged.

Reassuring the Centre's help to flood victims in the state, Modi, who is state party parliamentary board chief, said there is no shortage of funds given to the state.

"As per the 14th Finance Commission recommendations, Rs 2,000 crore has been earmarked for Bihar to deal with the disaster," he said.

The state government should first prepare and send its report to the Centre which would send team of experts to assess the extent of damage due to floods, he added.

"Instead of focusing on improving amenities in relief camps, Kumar is trying to deflect attention of people by raking up the issue of Farakka dam which, he is saying is the cause of flood in Bihar every year," Modi said.

PTI