The common people and the administration heaved a collective sigh of relief as the Ganga's water level continued to fall in Patna on Monday.
Official figures released by the central water commission (CWC) said the water level was dipping by a centimetre every hour at both Digha Ghat and Gandhi Ghat. On Monday morning, the water level at Digha Ghat was 51.77m. and had dipped to 5.19m at 3pm. The danger level is 50.45m at Digha Ghat and 48.60 m at Gandhi Ghat.
But the CWC official also said the water level would rise at places like Buxar, Munger, Kahelgaon, Sahebganj and Farakka on Tuesday. An official said because of the rise in Ganga level in Khagaria district, water rose over a 4km stretch of the embankment, damaging it at two places. Engineers have been rushed for repairs.
Other rivers flowing above the danger level include Punpun, Ghaghara, Budhi Gandak and Kosi.
Special secretary of disaster management department Anirudh Kumar said 1,39,330 people have been evacuated. He said 162 relief camps are being run in flood-affected districts, where 1,05,000 people are taking shelter.
Anirudh said adequate number of state disaster response force (SDRF) and national disaster response force (NDRF) teams have been deputed to the flood-affected areas to rescue people.
The CWC official said water discharge from the Indrapuri barrage over the Sone increased from 2.5 lakh cusec at 6am to 3.8 lakh cusec at 2pm.
With the riverine locality flooded, many have come to Patna in search of relief. The district administration is trying to provide them and their cattle food and shelter. However, The Telegraph saw a contrast when it visited two relief camps being run by the district administration.
One such relief camp is at the Bihar Vidyapeeth campus where over 500 people are staying after water entered their houses. Rice-dal and mixed vegetable (potato and soyabean) was being served to inmates of the relief camp being monitored by Patna Sadar executive magistrate Rajeev Mohan Sahay and deputy collector Atul Verma.
Bind Toli resident Umesh Choudhary (32) praised the district administration for providing them food and shelter. "Yesterday we were served khichdi and today we are getting dal, rice and vegetable," Choudhary said. "Many more people are on the way. Our area is badly affected, water has damaged my house too."
People in the relief camps also demanded that the administration allow them to take the beaten rice and jaggery given to them for distribution among people. But the official said the relief material would be given only at the camp and those who receive will not be allowed to carry it outside.
A medical team was also deputed at the relief camp and arrangement to provide important medicines made.
But the condition at another relief camp at B.N. Collegiate Inter School, 4 km from the Bihar Vidyapeeth campus, was a study in contrast. Around 2pm, cooking was yet to start and no arrangements had been made, even though the district magistrate had announced measures on Sunday.
Cows, buffaloes, calves and goats are scattered at the camp. Complete mismanagement was evident camp and people complained that they were not getting food. "The authorities brought us here last (Sunday) evening, but they didn't provide us food, but for some beaten rice and jaggery. We want dal and rice, but the process of cooking is yet to start," said Ram Janam Mahto, an inmate at the relief camp.
A veterinary doctor was also there at the school premises. The Patna civil surgeon's office on Monday formed two more mobile medical units in the district in addition to 24 units already working. "Each team is equipped with a doctor, an auxiliary nurse midwife and medicines," said Patna civil surgeon G.S. Singh.
The teams were also providing aid in the various relief camps.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHUCHISMITA CHAKRABORTY
