Aerial Relief Work to Begin on Thursday

Patna: Aug. 20, 2008

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, along with the Water Resources Minister Vijendra Yadav and other Emergency Management officials, on Wednesday, conducted an aerial survey of the flood affected areas in Bihar and held a high-level meeting of the top state bureaucrats shortly after his return to Patna to work out a foolproof strategy to keep the destruction and devastation level to a minimum.

Kumar said that starting Thursday, helicopters engaged in the relief operation would start dropping food and other essential items in the flood-affected areas by making Purnia their chief operation center.

Directing the entire district machinery to remain on high alert, the Chief Minister said he was expecting a comprehensive report from the Flood Control Commission that would visit Supaul district on Thursday following which an emergency plan would be put in place to meet the ground situation.

Teams made up of District Magistrates, DSPs, and local law-enforcement officials would keep round-the-clock vigil in all flood-affected areas to allow swift action in the event of any emergency, Kumar said.

Water Resources Minister Vijendra Yadav, Emergency Management Minister Nitish Mishra, Chief Secretary R. J. M. Pillai, and Director General of Police (DGP) D. N. Gautam, besides others, were present at the meeting.