Kumar Rajiv Nayn
Ara: There is no respite from flood for the people of Bhojpur district even as the water level of river Ganga is stable and water level of Sone had come down since Tuesday evening. But, both the rivers are still flowing above the danger mark in the district. The water of Ganga is still flowing about 4 feet on Ara-Buxar main road.The Sone is flowing over red mark in Koelwar, Sahar, Sandesh and people are living in horrible condition. The relief operation is reportedly being carried out only on the main route and the people living in remote villages are still deprived of relief.
At least 250 villages are still badly affected by the flood and power supply to these villages has been snapped for the last five days. Even mobile service has come to a standstill under Barahara and Shahpur blocks. Thousands of people have taken shelter on Buxar-Koelwar embankment while a large number people were seen shifting to safer places on Wednesday.
In Ara town, about 25,000 residents of 45 localities under six wards are reeling undr the flood. Ara Goshala and Kuer Singh College at Satpahariya, Majhaua, Gauganj, Maruti Nagar, Gangi, Badaki Singhahi, Chhotaki Singhahi, Maula Bagh, M P Bagh, Old Police Line, Chandawa, Chawkipur, Badkagaaon have been inundated. The college is closed but the cows at the Goshala are destined to live in flood water without fodder. Four smell has started emitting from the stagnated water.
The villagers at Majhaua under Town police station, in their bid to save their village from flood fury, opened the sluice gate on Tuesday resulting gushing of flood water started into some parts of Ara Town. When the security personnel tried to stop the villagers from doing so, they were pelted with stones. Later, more police force was requisitioned. Police arrested 11 persons on Tuesday. Police officials led by SDPO, Ara, Sanjay Kumar immediately rushed to the spot and managed to get the gate shut and save Ara town. The SDPO said had the district administration not shut the sluice gate on time, most part of the Ara town would have been flooded.
Meanwhile, Bhojpur district administration declared 101 villages of 15 panchaytats under Barahara block in Bhojpur district flood affected. About 2 lakh populations are badly affected with the flood. Though the district administration claims to distribute food packets and medicines and drinking water among the flood affected people, Kunti Devi, Jageshwari Devi and others blamed that the district administration is giving only one kilogram of beaten rice (chuda) and 250 gram of jaggery (gud) to a family of six members and never bothers to sprinkle bleaching powder. Wild pigs swept away in the flood have bitten more than two dozen persons under Barahara, Tarari and Piro blocks.
Bhojpur DM Birendra Prasad Yadav has asked the officials of the district not to be lax in their duty otherwise stern action would be taken against them. He said food packets in sufficient quantity, medicines, candles, polythene sheets, milk and other necessary items were being given to the people and medical teams have been sent to every flood affected village. The DM himself tasted the food prepared supplied to the flood affected people. He said 5,000 food packets had been received from Muzzaffarpur and 2,500 food packets were sent to Barhara and Shahpur block each. So far 68,000 food packets have been distributed under Barhara block.
The flood condition in Rohtas, Buxar and Kaimur districts too are still grim. Most of the flood affected people in these districts are clamouring for drinking water, food, milk, shelter and boats.