Patna: A central team led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrived in Patna on Wednesday for a two-day visit to assess the flood situation and review relief and rescue operations across the state.
Chouhan arrived at Patna Airport from Bhopal on a special flight before proceeding by road to Hajipur. Accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, he travelled from the Hajipur Police Lines to Terasia Diyara in Raghopur block, where he inspected the flood-affected areas.
The Union minister is currently surveying the affected areas using boats operated by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and tractors. Several senior officials are accompanying him during the inspection.
As part of his two-day programme, Chouhan will conduct an aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Dighwara, Saran district, and Maner in Patna district.
He will later return to Patna, where he is scheduled to hold a high-level meeting to review disaster management measures and ongoing flood relief and rescue operations.
The minister will subsequently travel to Munger and then proceed towards Bhagalpur, assessing the flood situation along the route.
He is scheduled to spend Wednesday night at the State Guest House in Bhagalpur. Chouhan will return to Patna by Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to leave for Kolkata at 12:40 p.m.
According to the latest assessment, floods have affected 575 gram panchayats across 88 blocks in 15 districts — Patna, Bhojpur, Saran, Vaishali, Bhagalpur, Begusarai, Buxar, Samastipur, Munger, Katihar, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Purnea, Madhepura and Arwal.
Around 49.72 lakh people and nearly 55,000 hectares of land have been affected by the flooding.
The state government is carrying out relief and rescue operations in the affected areas and has said efforts are continuing to find a long-term solution to Bihar’s recurring flood problem.
According to the Central Water Commission, several rivers are currently flowing above the danger mark at different locations.
The Gandak is above the danger mark at Dumaria Ghat, while the Kosi is above the mark at Baltara and Kursela.
The Burhi Gandak is above the danger mark at Khagaria.
The Ganga is flowing above the danger mark at Digha, Gandhi Ghat and Hathidah in Patna, as well as at Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon.
The Punpun is above the danger mark at Sripalpur, the Bagmati at Benibad and the Ghaghara at Darauli.
River levels are expected to remain stable or recede at some locations.
The Kosi remained stable at the Birpur Barrage, while the water level of the Gandak fell at the Valmikinagar Barrage.
However, a rise was recorded in the Son River at the Indrapuri Barrage.
Bihar has received 112.7 mm of rainfall so far in September, around six per cent above normal for the period.
However, cumulative rainfall from June 1 to September 14 remains 27 per cent below normal.
Despite the overall rainfall deficit, the current flooding has been attributed to water flowing into Bihar from rivers originating in Nepal, along with silt accumulation in several rivers across the state.
The Bihar Weather Service Centre has forecast very light to moderate rainfall at several places in the state over the next two days.
(IANS)
