Opposition criticises Nitish govt over flood crisis

Patna: With floods claiming over 40 lives across Bihar and maximum damage being reported from cities like Patna, the disaster management and relief work of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state has once again come in question.

As rains subsided on Tuesday, public as well as the Opposition parties slammed the government’s inability to deal with water-logging triggered by heavy rains in Patna and other districts of Bihar.

Patna was declared as the worst-hit by the state administration. As per an assessment, more than 4,000 people have been evacuated and moved to safer places by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

“Nitish Kumar had returned to power on the issue of good governance but now questions are being raised on his inability to deal with the condition, which has surfaced due to rains. People are facing the worst kind of crisis in Bihar due to the state government’s failure in handling the situation”, RJD national vice-president Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said.

Meanwhile, the Centre after reviewing the situation in Bihar has dispatched additional teams of NRDF and two Indian Air Force copters to help the state government in the relief and rescue operations.

Union minister and Patna Sahib MP Ravi Shankar Prasad has also decided to camp in the state capital and monitor relief operations being carried out in the affected areas.

Sources claim that he has been concerned over the condition as most of the localities affected by heavy rains and water-logging in the city come under his parliamentary constituency.

“Big pumps are being brought in to Patna which will help in removing water-logging. You have seen that food packets are also being dropped in the affected areas. I want to say that our government is deeply concerned and will provide all kinds of relief to people of Bihar”, Mr Prasad said.