Even as the flood situation in Bihar showed signs of improvement with water levels receding in affected areas, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday undertook an aerial survey of the devastation caused by the deluge.
Sonia and Patil reached Bihar after reviewing the flood situation in Assam and landed at Purnea where they were joined by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and UPA ministers from the state Lalu Prasad Yadav and Ramvilas Paswan.
The entourage made a brief stopover at Samastipur where central leaders interacted with some flood affected people before reaching Patna to hold a meeting with officials of the state.
Though Sonia was kept away from the media, Patil told reporters that the Centre would extend all possible help to the state.
"We will discuss the situation at the Centre. The state Government should ensure proper relief distribution among the affected people," Patil said.
Asked whether the state Government had failed to extend relief to the marooned masses as alleged by UPA ministers from the state, Patil parried the query and said in view of the circumstances everyone should come out to help the flood hit people.
Railway Minister and RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, however, said flood-affected people had complained be fore Sonia about non-distribution of relief materials. Both the UPA ministers said incessant rains had worsened the situation in the state.
So far the death toll has reached 100 and over one crore people across 18 districts of the state have been hit by the disaster
Source-The Indian Express, 8Aug,2007
