Nitish Vows to Seek Long-term Solution for Bihar Flood
Patna: Aug. 15, 2007
In the backdrop of a devastating flood of 2007, looming threat of violence from the Maoist extremists, and a rain that refuses to go away, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, on the 60th anniversary of India's gaining of Independence from the British, on Wednesday, hoisted the national tri-color at Patna's Gandhi Maidan while promising to seek a permanent solution to the annual curse of flood.
Despite rain for last three days and a Gandhi Maidan that looked more like a swamp than a maidan, thousands of people showed up to display their patriotism and cheered up various wings of the Indian armed forces and other national and local law and order units.
Kumar, in his 30-minute speech, acknowledged the severity of this year's flood in Bihar pledging to seek a permanent solution to the annual phenomenon that claims hundreds of lives in the state each year.
Claiming to be doing his utmost best to lessen the impact of flood in Bihar, the Chief Minister said he had asked the Prime Minister to involve the Nepal government in a bilateral talk to reach an agreement that would limit or prevent the Himalayan Kingdom from dumping millions of gallons of water each year into Indian rivers.
The Independence Day parade was held amidst extremely tight security arrangement following threat of disruptions of the celebrations issued by Maoist ultras in the state.
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