Declare Bihar floods national disaster, CPI(ML) Liberation MP urges PM Modi

Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation MP Sudama Prasad on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the floods in Bihar a national disaster, and to release funds from the Prime Minister National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

In a letter addressed to Modi, Prasad highlighted the severe flood situation in Bihar, claiming that the Ganga river is flowing above the danger mark and affecting numerous villages. He specifically noted that the entire Jawainiya village in the Shahpur block is at risk of merging into the Ganga due to erosion.

"The devastating water of the Ganga has struck the entire village like a disaster. Last year, 64 houses, including a temple in Jawainiya, were submerged in the Ganga, while this year, so far, more than two dozen houses, including the Hanuman temple and the Govardhan mountain, have been swept away by the floods," he said.

Prasad also pointed out that several villages are under threat due to the rising water levels in the Son river.

To provide swift relief to the victims, he stressed the necessity of declaring the floods a national disaster under the Disaster Management Act of 2005. He further requested an ex gratia amount of Rs 25 lakh for families who have lost relatives or homes.

Prasad urged the government to immediately release funds from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and prepare a one-time rehabilitation plan that includes 24x7 community kitchens for the affected, dignified shelters, fodder for animals, temporary hospitals, clean water, arrangement of boats, toilets, mobile charging points, health care for pregnant women and free transportation for students appearing in competitive examinations.

"By surveying the flood-affected areas, the damage caused to agricultural land, houses, livestock and businesses should be assessed and appropriate compensation should be released from PMNRF," he added.