Declare Bihar floods as national calamity: BJP
New Delhi, Aug 27 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday demanded the floods in
Bihar, the worst in the recent history of the country, be declared a national calamity and
the central government should bear the burden of the relief and rehabilitation operations
in the state.
"I spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this morning (Wednesday) and expressed
concern over the flood-induced situation," senior BJP leader L.K. Advani said.
"I urge the central government to assist the state government in every possible way in
dealing with this extraordinary natural disaster, he said.
The people of Bihar are reeling under the floods, which have affected over 11,000
villages and nearly four million people, Advani said.
The situation has become extremely grim particularly because river Kosi has
unexpectedly changed course, inundating those districts of northern Bihar which were
totally unprepared to face the fury of the flood.
The BJP leader said that the PM "assured me on this score and informed me that he was
visiting Bihar for an on-the-spot survey tomorrow (Thursday)."
Advani compared the devastation and dislocation caused by the floods, especially in the
districts of Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura and Araria, with tsunami.
"I demand that the central government treat this as a national calamity and bear the
full burden of relief and rehabilitation operations. It cannot and must not be seen as a
calamity of Bihar alone," Advani said.
Calling upon all political parties to rise over party politics while dealing with
relief and rehabilitation matters, Advani praised Bihar's government for responding
effectively to the calamity.
"The first and foremost consideration of all political parties at this moment should be
to save lives and alleviate the suffering of people. Wherever evacuation is needed, it
should be effected urgently and smoothly," he said.
"After the immediate tasks of evacuation and relief are over, the central and state
governments, in cooperation with all the political parties, should seriously consider
putting in place an effective long-term strategy about management of floods, which are
ravaging Bihar, Assam and other states in northern, eastern and north-eastern India year
after year," Advani said.
--IANS
