Kumar Rajiv Nayan
Ara: The water level of rivers Ganga and Sone are still rising and inundating fresh rural and urban areas in Bhojpur district. Over one lakh population in 250 villages in the district are already reeling under flood. Ganga is flowing furiously under Shahpur, Barahara and Ara blocks while Sone created havoc under Koelwar, Sahar and Sandesh blocks. In fact, Ganga is flowing over 1.75 metre above the danger mark while Sone is above 1.54 meter above the red mark in Bhojpur district.
Ganga has started causing erosion in villages and four houses have so far been disappeared and people of these villages were warned to remain alert. At least 60 labourers are doing anti-erosion work. District administration has evacuated 44 houses and 200 villagers have taken shelter at High School, Balua.
At least two dozen persons have so far been lost their lives in the flood in Bhojpur district. The flood water has entered Old Police Line, Chandawa, Badakagaaon, Bampali, Gausganj, Balbatara, Tari Mohalla, Laxmanpur, Basantpur, Dhundhua, Daulatpur, Dumara, Kadari, Bhadeya, Mirganj, Pipariya, Bakhariaya, Khazuriya, Babhnauli, Mahuli, Chhotaki Sanadiya, Badaki Sanadiya, Niramalpur, Mohanpur, Jagwalia, Pirauta, Dewadi, Yadavpur, Zamira, Rampur, Satpahari, Shankar Nagar, Maruti Nagar, Gangi locality and other low lying areas in Ara. The water of Ganga is flowing over 27 main and link roads and also Ara-Buxar NH 84 near Chandawa in Bhojpur district and snapped communication with the district headquarters.
Besides, Ganga is flowing about three to four feet on Ara-Barahara, Ara-Saraiya, Bhakura-Saraiya, Salempur-Krishnagarha, Baghapur-Tetariya, Bihia-Salempur, Ara-Zamira, Badaka Lauhar-Bakhorapur, Sinha-Sinha ghat, Damodarpur-Lalu Ka Dera, Zawania-Hasartpur, Keshopur-Saraiya, Akmalpur-Gaziyapur, Dharahara-Chandi, Dobaha-Sarsiwan, Salempur-Bihia main roads.
The water of Ganga is about five feet in Khwaspur police station, Azimabad Police Station and Sinha police outpost and the police personnel posted there have made frantic call to the SP. Several schools in the district are also marooned. About two dozen mud houses were washed away and the hapless people are cursed to spend their nights under the open sky. The district administration cut power supply in over 125 flood affected villages forcing the people to live in darkness.
A sand loaded boat was swept away in the fast current of Sone at Dhandiha village under Koelwar police station on Saturday though 10 laboures somehow swam to safety.
District Education Officer, Suresh Prasad, ordered closure of the schools in the flood prone areas but instructed the teachers and the Headmasters to remain present in their schools. In the late evening on Saturday, Principal Secretary, Education Department, Project Director, Bihar Education Project, and the DEO after discussion directed to convert the schools into camps for the flood affected people.
The water of Ganga has entered over 200 villages including Gundi, Sariaya, Krishnagahra, Muzampur, Shahajahapur, Majahuli, Nurpur, Zokrahi, Kudariya, Pashurampur, Nargada, Lavkushpur, Kawalchhapara, Kanhachhapara, Sinha, Sahar, Andhari, Lodipur, Dhauri, Lodipur Hata, Khaira, Abgila, Peur, Basodihari, Baruhi, Khakhan Tola, Bhagwanpur Ke Tola, Saraiya, Bakhorapur, Lali Ke Tola, Sabalpur, Paiga, Nagada, Chaman ke Dera, Shivpur, Farhada, Mathavalia, Lauhar, Farana under Barahara block and Bahoranpur, Samarpur, Gangapur, Barisawan, Pandey Dera, Sonbarasha, Suhia, Kalyanpur, Amrai Nawada, Doghara, Bandhaa, Basdevpur under Shahpur block.
A bridge at Ekauna under Baarahara block was washed away in the current of Ganga on Saturday and divided the village into two halves. The relief material and food packets distributed by the district administration proved a drop in the ocean.
Meanwhile, Bhojpur DM Birendra Prasad Yadav directed all the BDOs, Cos and SHOs of flood affected blocks to remain alert and deliver relief materials to the flood affected people at the earliest.