Date:10/08/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/10/stories/2007081056241200.htm

National

Delayed arrival of relief leads to clashes

K. Balchand

PATNA: Delayed and meagre arrival of relief material led to clashes in Bihar and several people were injured when police resorted to lathi charge on Thursday.

A clash erupted at a relief centre in Harnaut Bazaar in Nalanda district when a group of people demanded 50 litres of kerosene out of turn. In the ensuing clash, six persons were injured. A case had been registered and the police were searching for anti-social elements.

In Begusarai district, at least three dozen people were injured when the police resorted to lathi charge near a government office in the Khodabandpur block.

On the arrival of relief material, hundreds of flood-affected people made a beeline to the office. Later they staged a protest.

Tension prevailed in various other places in 20 flood-hit districts over non-distribution of relief or discrimination in the process.

The flood situation deteriorated in Khagaria, with floodwater entering the town and inundating government offices.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat called on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and submitted a memorandum urging him to press more boats into service to speed up relief and rescue operations.

Ms. Karat, who visited Darbhanga, Madhubani and Samastipur, said the relief work was tardy. About 10,000 people put up at a camp in Darbhanga had not received anything so far.

She criticised the discrimination in relief distribution in Kanshi panchayat.

The CPI(M) leader expressed the hope that the Chief Minister would constitute all-party committees at the ground level to ensure equitable distribution of food grains, polythene sheets and money.

Governor’s gesture

Governor R.S. Gavai donated his one month’s salary (Rs. 36,000) to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. He expressed the hope that Vice-Chancellors and university teachers would follow suit.