Nitish Kumat to meet PM Modi to discuss flood situation in Bihar

NEW DELHI: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital to discuss the flood situation in the state and said that the Centre has assured of all assistance.   Kumar said the current agenda is to rescue the people and provide them relief. "We are lending the needed help. The damage, which has been done by the floods, will be assessed, and then we will take steps accordingly. The Prime Minister has assured of all help. We have also briefed him about the steps we have taken with regard to the relief and rescue operations," said Kumar. "Our work as of now is to rescue the people and provide them immediate relief. Secondly, we have to restore the affected houses so that people can restart their lives. The floods have damaged more than 20 districts," he added. The Ganga and five other rivers are flowing above danger mark in many parts of Bihar and having triggered a flood-like situation in the districts situated along their banks. According to reports, the affected districts include Patna, Vaishali, Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar. The Centre last night rushed 10 NDRF teams to flood-hit areas of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in order to launch massive relief and rescue operations to help those marooned in these states. According to a the IMD release, all in all 1,39,330 persons have been evacuated to safer places so far, adding around 1.05 lakh people have taken shelter in 162 relief camps. All camps have the facilities of medical teams apart from halogen tablets to clean drinking water. 1,537 boats are pressed into service by the government to evacuate the affected people to safer places, besides National and State Disaster Response Force teams, already been deployed in the affected districts. India Meteorological Department (IMD) has made a forecast of light to moderate rains in the catchment areas of rivers of Bihar next 24 hours. The NDRF DG also briefed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh about the flood situation in these states late last night. In order to launch massive operations in the two worst-affected states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the NDRF has created on-ground control rooms in these two states and deputed two senior Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) S.S. Guleria (Patna) and R.K. Rana (Varanasi) to take control of the situation.