Nitish directs engineers to remain alert for safety of embankments

On July 24, the Gandak river fractured Saran embankment at two places in Gopalganj district while another breach took place in Sangrampur block of East Champaran district due to flood waters in river Gandak which was caused by heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Gandak and Nepal around a week ago. Giving directions to Disaster Management Departments Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, the CM said that people evacuated from the flood affected areas be kept in relief camps with proper facilities.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday directed engineers of the Water Resources Department to remain in "alert mode" at places where embankments are facing pressure from surging flood waters. Directing the officials to ensure 24X7 patrolling of such embankmentse, Kumar asked them to ensure availability of materials in adequate quantity near the embankments so that repair work can be undertaken during emergency, an official release said here.

Kumars instruction assumes significance in the backdrop of flood water pressure causing breaches in embankments at several locations. On July 24, the Gandak river fractured Saran embankment at two places in Gopalganj district while another breach took place in Sangrampur block of East Champaran district due to flood waters in river Gandak which was caused by heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Gandak and Nepal around a week ago.

Giving directions to Disaster Management Departments Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, the CM said that people evacuated from the flood affected areas be kept in relief camps with proper facilities. Community kitchens be set up in adequate numbers for flood victims, he said while adding that adequate arrangements be made in the relief shelters as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The number of community kitchens and relief centres be increased as per the requirement, the CM said and added that social distancing norms should be maintained at the relief centres besides giving mask free of cost to those taking shelter there. Kumar also directed the officials to lay special emphasis on the quality of food cooked at the community kitchens besides drinking water be made available to the people at the relief centres.

Kumar also directed them to ensure expeditious transfer of gratuitous relief directly into the bank accounts of flood affected people as per the SOP. Money will not be a problem for distribution of GR, he added. As per the government rules, each flood affected family will be given Rs 6,000 as gratuitous relief directly into their bank accounts through Direct Bank Transfer.

Nearly 2.5 million people have been affected by floods in 11 districts of Bihar..

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