Nitish Summons an All-Party Meet on Bihar Flood
Patna: Aug. 29, 2008
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Nitish Summons an All-Party Meet
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Photo by Anupam Singh |
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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, amidst growing criticism over flood situation in North Bihar, called a high-level all-party meet on Friday during which all members of the Bihar Assembly and the State Legislature pledged to donate their one month salary towards the relief of flood victims.
Focusing on the short-term solution for a problem that has plagued Bihar for ages, the leaders agreed to post special committees made up of politicians representing various parties with state ministers overseeing the relief operation in Purnia, Saharsa, Madhepura, Supaul, and Araria districts.
A high-level meeting of these committee members would be held every two weeks to review progress in battle against the flood, Kumar said.
Ironically, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress leaders, who were part of the so-called all-party meet earlier, wasted no time in holding their own press conferences blasting the Chief Minister of failing to act swiftly and smartly after the news of the breach in dam broke out nearly 12 days ago.
Putting the blame squarely on the shoulder of the NDA government, the newly-elected president of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) Anil Sharma said that the administration failed to repair the damaged dam despite prior knowledge of it and therefore, was responsible for the destruction in the state.
RJD leaders Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Shyam Rajak, and Ravindra Charan, in a press conference of their own, blasted the Nitish government for 'continuing to play politics in the face of disaster of epic proportion'.
"The Chief Minister owes an apology to the people of Bihar. The Kusaha dam broke on August 18 and water entered into Madhepura three days later. Yet, the government failed to issue red alert in those areas that could have saved hundreds of lives," Siddiqui said.
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