Villagers on edge in Bihar’s Purnea, Araria as rivers rise

Patna, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) The water levels of important rivers in Bihar's Seemanchal region are on the rise due to continuous rain for last one week.

The water level of Mahananda, Kankani, and Parman rivers are flowing above the danger level at various places like Purnea and Araria districts, and villages located on the bank of rivers are under threat.

"Due to strong currents of the water of Parman river, it is continuously cutting clay in our village. Water has reached at the doorstep of our houses and they may submerge any time," Ram Kumar Paswan, a panchayat member of Marwa village under the Bangama panchayat.

"We have urged several officials including the BDO, the SDM, the DM and local MLA to take appropriate measures like placing sand bags on the banks of the river to reduce clay being washed away but none of them paid attention on it. A tragedy is waiting to happen in Marwa village," Paswan claimed.

Another villager Radha Mohan Ram said: "Majority of the villagers have taken shelter in thee government middle school. Now it has no space to accommodate further people. Hence, over one dozen families are forced to live in their own houses. They are also facing shortage of food and other essential commodities."

Meanwhile, the local Meteorological Department of Bihar has alerted people to stay indoors in concrete houses during the rain. An official said that heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is expected in next 24 hours in various districts including Patna, East Champaran, West Champaran, Vaishali, Saran, Bhojpur, Purnea, Araria, Katihar, Arwal, Jahanabad, and Buxar districts.

Source: IANS