Newborns in flood-hit Bihar named after river Ganga

By Imran Khan

Patna, Aug 31 (IANS) Parents of newborns in the relief camps of flood-swamped Bihar are naming their children after the river Ganga or even the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) that has come to their help.

In the last few days, several babies were born in the relief camps an even on the rescue boats of the NDRF. And interestingly, in many cases the new mothers decided to name their child after the holy river.

Sarita Devi, a resident of Nakta Diara, who has taken shelter in a relief camp at Digha in Patna, delivered a male child. She has named the child as Gangesh.

"I named him Gangesh as we have been displaced by the river. The name will always remind me that my first child was born in a relief camp," Sarita said.

Similarly, Gudia Devi, who delivered a male child on a rescue boat, named him Gangaputra Bhism.

"We have named the child after river Ganga to express our gratitude," a family member said.

According to an NDRF official, the family members wanted that the child's name should remind them that he was born on the boat in river Ganga.

Another child, delivered by Roshni Kumar of Birpur village in Vaishali district, has been named as Namami Gange.

Her husband Saroj Patel said: "The NDRF team enabled Roshni to deliver the child safely on a rescue boat. As a mark of gratitude, we named our child Namami Gange."

NDRF commandant Vijay Sinha said during relief and rescue operations, dozens of pregnant women have been taken to safer place on boats. "It is our duty to help pregnant women in the time of distress," he said.

Little surprise then that in Bhojpur district a child has been named as NDRF Singh because of the help extended by the NDRF team.

According to official reports, 3.7 million people in 2,037 villages across 12 districts of Bihar have been affected by the floods. Nearly half a million people have been evacuated, including 3.03 lakh who have found shelter in relief camps set up by the government.

According to the government, floods have so far claimed 58 lives in the state.

Now, the worst seems to be over as the Ganga and its tributaries are fast receding.

(Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in)