New Delhi: As floods continue to wreak havoc in Rajasthan, the death toll in the state has risen to 139. With several areas in Barmer flooded, the death toll in the district has reached 104.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Wednesday visited the flood-affected areas to review the situation. She was accompanied by the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan.
However, angry at the lack of relief work in the region, villagers greeted them with violent protests.
UPA Chief Sonia Gandhi is likely to visit the flood-hit district later this week.
Villagers in flood-affected areas of the district are sceptical of the state government's plans to pump out water from submerged areas and have urged the administration to look for viable alternatives.
Chandraram, a resident of Khawas, said that an area of around 22 km was submerged and authorities will have to think of a feasible way to drain out water, especially since the water level was about 20-25 feet deep in some areas.
The Rajasthan government had announced that nearly 60 high-power pumps would be used to drain out water from Khawas and Malva areas of the district starting from Thursday.
"We want to pump out the water as soon as possible. It would take around Rs 2.5 crore and the pumps would be able to drain out the water in one month," said Lalit K Pawar, in-charge of flood relief operations in Barmer and Jaisalmer.
Pawar told PTI that water from Malwa area would be drained to safer places in the south west.
"Houses of nearly 100 people would be affected by this and these 100 would be rehabilated in nearby areas," he said.
He said that the government's technical team is searching for a viable option to pump out water from Khawas.
"We think Indian Railways would be having some plans because the Khawas railway station is an important connecting station between Jodhpur- Munabao on the Thar Express route," Pawar said.
(With PTI inputs)
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