Muzaffarpur gears up to tackle floods

Muzaffarpur: District authorities have launched a preparedness drive to tackle ensuing flood threats in the district.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have been deployed al-ong the Baghmati, Lakhandai and Gandak rivers in Minapur, Gaighat, Katra, Aurai and Bochahan blocks of the district.

District magistrate (DM) Mohammad Sohail reviewed the flood situation and discussed required measures to lessen its threat with disaster management and other officials.

He told The Telegraph that 89 medical teams and 16 mobile teams had been formed to come to the aid of flood affected people in the district.

NDRF and SDRF personnel had been deputed along the river side and are imparting rescue skills to residents living along the river banks.

Even homeguard jawans are being imparted necessary training to be vigilant during the flood seasons. Residents in particular are being coached to use make-shift banana plantation raft and rubber tubes to move through flooded villages, the district magistrate said.

Six motorboats are available with the NDRF and it has requested the state government to arrange for 10 more motorboats to meet any eventuality, the DM said.

Necessary polythene sheets, fodder, foodgrain and medicines required during floods are being supplied to the flood-hit locations.

The block development officers and circle officers have been directed to engage countryside boats to ferry out marooned people ahead of the flood fury. Patrolling is on along the embankments of the Bagmati, Lakhandai, Gandak and Budhi Gandak rivers passing through the districts are.

Junior Engineers of water resources departments have been entrusted the task of maintaining vigilance of embankments.

Some long embankments on the Lakhandai river look worrisome but steps are being taken to strengthen and fortify it to save it from erosion and destruction owing to huge surge of water, the district magistrate said.

All sulice gates, numbering 114 on both flanks of rivers in the district, are being fortified and renovated on a war footing to control the flow of river water.

Plugging of the embankment near Rajwara village where a large portion of it got washed away last year owing to water currents, thereby inundation the eastern part of the town, are being completed. A parallel embankment is also being built there to protect the villagers of Mushahri block as well as colonies situated in eastern part of the town from the fury of the flood, the district magistrate said.

Courtesy: The Telegraph