The Hindu : National : Manmohan to visit Bihar on July 27

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 24, 2004

National

National

Manmohan to visit Bihar on July 27

By K. Balchand

PATNA, JULY 23. The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, will arrive here on July 27 to make an aerial survey of the devastation caused by the floods in 19 districts of Bihar.

Dr. Singh is later expected to hold talks with the Chief Minister, Rabri Devi, the Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad, and State officials. He is also scheduled to meet leaders of all political parties before returning to New Delhi the same day.

A Central team, headed by a joint secretary of the Union Home Ministry, is also likely to arrive soon to assess the damage and make recommendations for Central relief. The Centre has so far granted Rs. 55 crores, while the State's demand is Rs. 1000 crores.

`A delayed visit'

At a joint press conference, the senior Janata Dal (United) leaders, George Fernandes, Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav, said the Prime Minister's "delayed" visit would be of no avail as the waters would have receded by then and he would not get to know the extent of the devastation caused by the floods and the sufferings it had heaped on the people of the State.

After two days of survey, the Central and the State Governments had failed to shoulder the responsibility that was expected of them in such a disastrous situation, they added.

Accusing Dr. Singh of bypassing the State and visiting Assam first, they said they would seek an appointment with the Prime Minister tomorrow and submit their report on the havoc caused by the floods and their expectations on relief measures to the affected population.

Mr. Kumar described as "pathetic" the distribution of relief and alleged that the polythene sheets had found their way to the market. The broken rice was inedible.

`Danger of epidemics'

The JD(U) leaders said that all party MPs and legislators would contribute a month's salary towards relief and demanded that the Centre treat the floods as a national problem. They apprehended the outbreak of epidemics and hoped that the Centre and the State would rise to the occasion.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National