Catastrophic Bihar Floods, Catastrophic India's Politicians

(Bihar Times) The river Kosi breaks an embankment just before the Bhimnagar Barrage in Nepal and waters from an angry Kosi flood several districts of north Bihar and some 20 lakh people struggle to escape its fury. And no government help.

After days of the disaster at the embankment the chief minister Nitish Kumar tells the media, "This is not a normal flood, its a catastrophy (pralaya or the end of the world).

But in flooded Bihar people just swim and wade through the torrents to get onto higher levels like the roads and bridges, leaving their entire properties behind.

And the chief minister of Bihar is yet to make a radio announcement warning people that they must get out as early as possible.

The worst affected districts are Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura, Purnia, Araria and Katihar.

I spoke to Debashish Bose in Madhepura and he said, "Water has now entered Madhepura town as well. At least 15-16 wards of the 24 wards are already flooded and the waters are now rising. A prison near my home is also being evacuated."

As I spoke with Debashish I could hear in the background some talk of relief. One person said, "We have only five chapatis left." And Debashish replies, "Its a lot. Lets go and distribute what we have."

Just three helicopters airdrop food packets which mostly falls in the water.

But politics seems to have taken over again. India's railway minister Laloo Prasad Yadav did an aerial survey like he's been doing for the past 20 years. When he ruled Bihar he would often sleep on those helicopter journeys to survey floods only opening his eyes when the helicopter would return to base in Patna.

Journalists, of course, in our part of the world do not think thats a story so it never made it to the rundown. Thats also because television news channels need the politicians as much as they need the floods.

But this time Laloo is not running Bihar so he has already met India's Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh requesting help for Bihar and attemtping to score a point over his rival Nitish Kumar, "This has happened because Nitish Kumar's government did not repair the embankment."

And now Nitish Kumar also plans to meet India's Prime Minister. Although just days before the floods he had said, "Bihar is fully prepared for the floods."

India's real catastrophy are its politicians. Even in the flooded regions politicians across political parties have spent more time in counting caste votes than on inspecting bunds that were built more than 50 years ago.

As a TV journalist with NDTV I had been covereing floods and I had done a journey up north right upto the mouth of the river Kosi. (without prior approval of NDTV)

I fear for Bihar so I wanted to see for myself.

All along what I saw was a poorly maintained embankment, and the bunds had no trees planted at their sides and the roads over them were simply non-existent.

On the Nepal side of the border the embankments were maintained and there were even trees alongside them. An unmetalled road over it could be used even in the monsoons as they had a machine to level the earth.

When we trekked up to Barah instead of finding officers from Bihar's Water Resources Department manning the flood warning system we found a broken laboratory and a `ghost' bungalow. We preferred to spend the night with locals.

It is at Barah Kshetra that there has been a talk over 50 years that a high dam is to be built but nothing happens.

And now when an embankment has been washed away in Nepal, Nepal's Prime Minister the Maosit Prachanda chooses to visit Beijing (for the Olympics closing), instead of coming to India.

But now I am now fully convinced that a high dam in Nepal is no solution to Bihar's floods.

I recall the clear pristine blue water of the Kosi and how small it looked at Barah and could not imagine its expanse when it reaches our homes in Bihar.

There is a temple of the Lord Vishnu at Barah but so remote is this region that very few Hindus visit this place. We found a few sadhus there but thats all.

I asked one of them why this place is called Barah or Wild Boar and he told me the story of a deluge when the entire world was coming to an end and its only then that Lord Vishnu took the form of a wild boar and kept this part of the world above water and thereby saving the world.

As I write this my heart is with countless men, women, children and animals who will survive, if they do at all, only by fate.

But yes, I did my story then as I do it now warning that not just the floods but the real catastrophy is the politicians we elect. They will never solve our problems, not this flood either.

Emotional Outburst "Catastrophic Bihar Floods"was indeed HEART STEERING

Blaming one person for five years n the next for another next five years or may be continuing with the same stuff for twenty years. This is the condition of Indians at large. Come on India ! Evolve out with solutions.. Lack of foresightedness to choose the right person whether Nitishji or Lalloji is no longer an issue . We have only countable few to choose from. The question sprouts who else are in the fray to lead... Give Options.
I think the count may not go after zero. How many Biharis want their child to give Politics a fair chance as career. We just have to change two clothes in the Bihar wardrobe. and so everytime you see either Lalooji or Nitishji coming out from the wadrobe.You cannot criticise and sleep off. Come out with other options . I only feel if Bihar youth known for competitive acumen for IIT , and AIIMS or Civil services and Bank PO can give competition to these Oldies n bring about major change in the wadrobe for the people of state . GIVE OPTIONS to choose. Don't just critisize and sleep off Plizzzzzzzzzzzzz.

I was very pleased to read a nice piece of article written by Manuwant Choudhary "Catastrophic Bihar Floods,

Catastrophic India's Politicians". In a subtle way and in few chosen words he has narrated the real problem facing India and particularly our beautiful state of Bihar. It should be a real eye opener for any politician reading this article.The people of Bihar should realize and make better choices when it comes to next balloting. The next election is around the corner.Halla Bol. Hats of to Manuwant.

Dr. Samdarshi

tsamdarshi@medicine.umsmed.edu

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Trouble with us in India, but particularly Bihar is that, we have professional politicians whose motto is politics first, anything else later. In this chaos, the educated and ambitious leave the state or the country, but poor and illetarate are the one who are left behind to bear the brunt, both man made and natural disaster.

PM, CM and the sundries will do the usual arial "Tafrih" and be back in their cosy drawing and bed rooms. It will be the poor and destitute who will continue to live in the open, under the sky. When so many lives have been lost and millions have been uprooted, is it not right for CM and his ministers to move from Patna and camp in flood affected area to direct the relief work ? Surely their very presence would be a catalyst for more efficient relief work.

We, the old boys of Darbhanga Medical College, settled abroad, are taking steps to mobilise flood relief work by raising money and asking our friends inBihar to disburse it where it is needed most.

Dr. A. Kumar

Norfolk, England

ajk305@yahoo.co.uk

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Work for the mankind

I agree with Manuwant .One side the people are losing lives ,suffering due to flood ,have nothing to eat ,have lost their properties, the other sides the netas are playing their petty politics for the vote banks .They want to take credit for their mouth speech. But nobody will come forward and help these poor people .There was threat from kosi river but nothing was done to keep it under control .Now the entire area is under flood ,the blame game has begun.I appeal to Mr Laloo Prasad to work towards the humanity rather than fighting for petty politics to garner the vote banks .He had ruled Bihar for 15 years ,but he did nothing,instead of increasing poverty and corruption .