The Centre on Sunday rushed in essential supplies, relief teams and other assistance to Bihar to deal with Kosi flood situation and put on standby several aircraft to deal with any emergency.
Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth chaired three emergency meetings of National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) in this regard while an assessment team comprising experts from different fields is in Nepal to oversee the situation as an artificial dam created there on a Kosi tributary following a massive landslide has sparked fears of floods in Bihar.
Assuring Bihar Government of all possible assistance from the Centre, Cabinet Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday said eight National Disaster Response Force teams have already been deployed and seven will soon be sent. Water level in Kosi river is rising, Prasad said. Though it is not at an alarming rate, the situation remains unpredictable, he said. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given clear instruction for rendering all possible help to Bihar government. The Centre's actions have been prompt and timely," he said at a press conference.
Provision for food grains has been made for the needy. 44,000 persons had been evacuated by the Bihar government and the state administration was urged to speed up the process, an official statement said, adding that 107 relief camps had been set up. Central Water Commission is doing a computer simulation exercise to assess the likely impact of sudden release of water.
"Water discharge so far is not alarming. But it cannot be predicted when the flow might increase suddenly," it said. Due to the landslide, about 20-27 lakh cusecs of water has got collected in the artificial dam and Nepalese authorities are making "controlled breaches" in it so that water can be released slowly and in less quantity, officials said. One composite column (100 personnel) of army and air force had reached Supaul and one Saharsa in the state and three more columns mobilised from Sukna have gone to Katihar, the statement said, giving details of the operation mounted by the Centre.
"One AN-32 Aircraft has reached Delhi from Agra to carry persons and communication equipment to Purnia. One more is on standby at Agra. Two Mi-17 helicopters each are on standby at Gorakhpur, Bagdogra and Barrackpore. Two Chetak and four MI-17 choppers have been moved to Bihta near Patna," it said. One aircraft carrying a medical team comprising 25 persons, including medical officers and specialists, and 20 civilian doctors of different specialities from Delhi hospitals has left, it said.
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