CPIML MLAs and prominent party leaders are visiting flood affected areas in Bihar. Politburo member Dhirendra Jha, MLA Satyadev Ram, Darbhanga District Secretary Baidyanath Yadav, farm leader Jitendra Yadav, Pappu Paswan, Dhruvnarayan Karn, Dinesh Mahto and other leaders are visiting Mithilanchal, the worst affected by floods. Local teams are active in various other affected areas.
Dhirendra Jha said that the ravages of the floods and excesdive rains on top of Corona and inflation have broken the backs of the people. The government and administration remain extremely insensitive and flood relief is not being given as per established protocol. The Bihar government and all parties should demand a special package from the Central government. A chakka jam protest will be organized in Darbhanga on 27 August for relief and compensation for flood affected poor and farmers.
Deputy leader of CPIML legislative party Satyadev Ram said that farmers and workers have been relentlessly distressed by floods for the last 2 months. Farming and crops have been ruined. But government relief work is conspicuous by its absence. All these issues will be raised with the Bihar Chief Minister. He raised the demand of flood relief for rural agrarian workers, one-year waiver of electricity bills, price of cooking gas to be cut by half, and waiver of KCC loans and land rent for farmers.
Meanwhile, CPIML leaders visited Ismailpur, Gopalpur and Rangra Blicks in Bhagalpur where many dams including the Ring Dam have been washed away. The team repirted that about 80% homes in these Blocks have become water-logged. Many houses have been destroyed, cattle swept away, fields submerged and crops ruined. Even Bhagalpur city is flood-ravaged. Relief camps have been set up here and there but these are highly inadequate. The government's flood-preparation seems confined to announcements and does not extend to relief and aid for the affected people. As the water recedes in urban areas, problems of filth and disease have started but the Municipal Corporation and administration are doing nothing to tackle this. These problems will soon be rampant in rural areas also.
