Alok Mishra
Patna: Will river Ganga, which is rising menacingly, will repeat 1975 like situation at Patna? This question has been haunting the population living close to the banks of the river in the state capital.
This scribe toured different localities close to Ganga and found the situation very insecure. Hundreds of people are sitting on the bandh near Ganga from Digha to Fatuha watching the water rising menacingly. At LCT Ghat under Patliputra police station, the water of Ganga has reached the gate and the district administration placed sand bags there to prevent water coming on Patna-Danapur road.
The water has also entered the campus of Ganga Tower apartment affecting several families residing there. The water level inside the apartment is over knee deep. Several vehicles are stranded in the basement. Several families residing there said that the water started entering the campus from Friday night. One of them said that though they informed the Patliputra police station about it, there was no response from the cops. A middleage woman said that they have seen several reptiles floating in the water and they could be dangerous for the little children if they sneaked inside their flats.
Local BJP MLA Sanjeev Chourasia also reached Ganga Tower top to get first hand information of the problems facing the residents there. He said that the state government should take steps as the water has started entering some areas. He, however, lamented that the Nitish Kumar government has failed to initiate any step to provide relief to the people affected by the flood.
Several make-shift huts have come on Patna-Danapur road and cattle are being kept there. Dozens of families living in the riverine belt near LCT Ghat have shifted to safer places with their cattle.
Over dozens of women, males and kids were seen at Rajendra Ghat opposite Buddha Colony. An elderly person Suresh Prasad hoped that Ganga would show mercy on Patnaites. Several women, carrying babies in their laps, said that they were residing close to Ganga and are now displaced due to sudden increase in level of Ganga. One of them, Meena Devi, carrying her one year old baby, said that she has taken shelter at a temple and have nothing to eat. She urged this reporter to inform the `netas’ of the ruling party to provide some relief to them.
Knee deep water has also entered at Gandhi Ghat in Patna. The flood water has also entered inside Central Water Commission office there. Water has also entered in some areas under Nagar Panchayat in Fatuha after the Raksha Bandh was damaged there. Water has also entered in Maujipur panchayat. Sensing the gravity of the situation, local CO Sanjeev Kumar visited several areas to assess the situation.
Water has also entered in six panchayats of Maner and Danapur as the water of river Sone and Ganga are rising menacingly from Maner to Koilwar. Some of the villages that have been badly affected include Nayaka Tola, Puranaka Tola, Islamganj and Hathi Tola. Principl Secretary, Disaster Management department, Vyas Ji claimed that Patna is still safe. He admitted that water has entered in lower areas. Army has been asked to remain alert with its choppers. Five teams of NDRF are reaching Patna from Chennai.