Excessive silt causing flood in Ganga: Nitish

Alok Mishra

Patna: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday said that excessive silt in river Ganga is the main cause of flood in the state. He said the silt is being accumulated due to Farakka Dam. He held a meeting with senior officials to review the flood situation across the state including Patna.

Nitish categorically said he is not seeking any monetary assistance from the centre. But, the officials of the department concerned at the centre should visit Bihar to have first hand knowledge of the situation which prevails in the state and the reasons behind it. The CM said the state did not have adequate rainfall this year. He said that centre should frame  a silt management policy for the state.

Nitish urged the people of the flood affected areas to come out and reach safer places immediately. “This is the first step that they have to take,” he pointed out.

Regarding Patna, Nitish said that all the gates close to Ganga banks have been closed so that Ganga water does not enter the city. He also directed the senior officials to accelerate relief operations. He also directed the officials of the Road Construction Department to keep an eye on the roads that have been flooded. “The officials should immediately repair these roads if they are damaged due to floods once the water recedes,” he said.

Health minister Tej Pratap Yadav also visited Digha and Danapur areas.He said that leaves of doctors have been cancelled. He also visited Maner in Patna district and met the people of the flood affected villages.

Meanwhile, Disaster Management department Principal Secretary Vyas Ji said that Patna faces no danger from flood. He said that the state government is keeping a close watch on the situation. He admitted that riverine belts of Patna have been flooded and efforts were on to evacuate the affected people.

Vyas Ji said five teams of NDRF reached Patna on August 20 nigt and they have been pressed into service. He said that people from the flood affected areas are being brought to relief camps. “ Eight thousand people have been evacuated from these areas and the evacuation is still on,” he said adding that some people are not willing to leave their houses and efforts were on to provide them relief there.

Despite all the precautions taken by the state government, flood water was flowing above NH-31 at Barh near Patna and several vehicles are stranded at many places.