By Tarique Anwar & Md Ali, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: Even 25 days after the horrible flood that hit northeastern Bihar on August 19, the situation in affected areas has not improved much except in Madhepura where the water level has receded up to an extent. Some people are reported to have returned to their homes but the situation is still grim in other districts like Supaul, Kishanganj, Araria, Bhagalpur and Saharsa.
Lakhs of people have migrated to safer places and have sheltered in relief camps and nearby schools. Unsatisfied with the poor arrangements in the relief camps victims in large numbers are also coming to Patna as their only resort. This in spite of the fact that the disaster management authority of the state has officially not allowed them to come to the state capital for shelter.
TwoCircles.net talked to many victims at Patna Junction to know the ground reality and the state government’s claims about relief and rescue operations being operated there by the government.
Mahmood Alam, a teacher in government primary school and resident of Triveniganj of Supaul district, told TCN that the airdropping was done only one day. They spent 3 days in water. Then with children on shoulder they managed to leave the village. Rescue operation which is being operated by the government is not sufficient. There is not adequate number of boats to take the victims out of the water. Thousands of people are still trapped and bound to spend life in hunger.
He said that no arrangement has been made by the district administration. There are some relief camps organized by different organizations. Volunteers of these organizations are very active in ensuring safe survival of the victims. They are trying to provide all necessities to the victims in this worse time of natural calamity. Many people are taking shelter on nearby dam of a river which is still safe for them.
The rescue operation has been accelerated since the day when military was deployed. But still that is not sufficient. More and more boats are required to carry those who are completely trapped in water to the safer places. Army men come to a village with motor boats and take 30-40 people at a time and then they come after a week to the place again. Nothing fruitful has been done to save the life of the people by the government, he said.
When asked about the loss of lives and property he said that it can’t be estimated until the whole water goes. But there is inestimable loss of lives and properties.
Many NGOs, political parties and media organizations have opened relief camps at Patna Junction to collect relief material for the victims. “We are running this relief camp for four days back to provide proper information to the victims and the people who want to donate for this great cause. We are also collecting clothes, dry foods, match boxes, medicines to send these things to Saharsa where a huge relief camp has been established by the party,” said Arun Mishra, member of CPI (M) and general secretary CITU while talking to TwoCircles.net.
He attacked the government asking it not to make false claims. There are many remote villages where no rescue work has been carried out. Many people are still trapped there and no body is going to provide them food, clothes and medicines. Focusing the relief works in towns it has ignored these villages, he alleged.
Talking to TCN Husn Ahmad Quadri, general secretary, Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind (JUH), Bihar, said that they immediately sent Rs 1 lakh to the JUH Saharsa unit as they came to know about the uncertain horrible flood has hit the area. We also sent a delegation comprising 5 people to Saharsa to survey the situation. As the delegation submitted its report we sent a report to central JUH, Delhi.
Taking a serious note Maulana Syed Arshad Madani,ex-president of JUH, sent Rs 5 lakh for rescue and relief works. One more delegation comprising two persons visited Saharsa and Purnia and submitted its report to the central JUH and state JUH, he said.
JUH set up two camps in Araria, Purnia and Supaul districts. Once again central JUH sent Rs 6 lakhs for the relief works. “Now we are arranging medical teams for medical aids to the victims. Expressing his dissatisfaction over the arrangement made by the government he said that it has failed to pay proper attention to the victims.
Very few camps have been set up by the government and that are also lacking in fulfilling one’s basic needs. The condition of the camps is very pathetic. There is no medical facility which is required on priority.
The JUH’s relief workers of Saharasa and Naugachia (Bhagalpur) told TCN about the real situation prevailing in the relief camps. Dr Moizuddin, president, JUH, Saharsa and Maulana Quamarul Hasan, general secretary, JUH, Bhagalpur, complained about the discrimination by the district administration against the Muslim victims in the relief camps. They alleged that the Muslims have been pushed back to the sidelines in the camps. They have been denied food, clothes and other relief materials. When the JUH relief workers tried to help them the district administration officials deputed in the camps tore off the packets of the relief materials and destroyed them.
The administration first of all didn’t provide JUH workers with boats to carry out the relief works. They were not allowed even to use their own boats. Moreover they alleged that the district administration has handed over the boats to the anti-social elements.
They carry out relief works during day time but misuse them to harass women who are trapped in flood at night.