About the Situation in Bihar

The floods in Bihar continue unabated with the Kosi River wreaking havoc in the northern districts of Supaul, Madhepura, Araria and Saharsa. The state government's relief operation continues to be tentative and lack of will as well as personnel is evident to the dismay of many who do not even have access to the channels of complaints and expressions of anguish. In a situation where more than eight districts have been badly affected, 30 relief camps set up by the state is not able to meet the severity of the crisis. A report from Madhepura, in particular, informs us that the blocks such as Kumarkhand, Muraliganj, Shankerpur, Udakishunganj, Alamnagar, Chausa, Puraini and Gwalpara have been completely cut off from the District Head Quarter. Even conservative estimates put the total affected population as nearly 20-25 lakhs. Death is impossibly difficult to estimate as it depends on the bodies recovered from the violent pangs of River Kosi. Train services between Purnia and Madhepura have been suspended indefinitely due to water-logging on tracks at several places and railway lines washed away in a stretch of about 45 ft near Dinapatti. With the flood situation turning grim in Bihar, the state government today sought the Army's help to launch relief and rescue operations in the severely affected districts. While one Army unit which arrived today has been rushed to Madhepura district, two more units will arrive soon and take up rescue work. Over one million people in 14 districts across the state have been displaced by flash floods after the Kosi River breached its embankments in neighbouring Nepal and their number is swelling with each passing day.
Given the fact the Kosi has a track record of flowing in excess of 9 lakh cusecs; the Bihar government is indeed worried that a monumental effort will have to be put in to rescue the people. “We will have to rescue more than 10 lakh people in relief camps. And we will have to keep them for more than 6 months as it will take time to plug the breach. More significantly, the flow of the Kosi will have to shift to its original course and all this will take time,” the chief minister said.This is going to probably be the world’s largest evacuation programme with an alarming number like 50 lakhs and more people to be evacuated. And needless to mention, each of us as individuals in our own capacities have a social responsibility to respond to this calamity.