Bihar Floods: Angry Waterlogging Victims Protest Across Patna

Patna: Hundreds of victims of waterlogging have staged protests at different places in Patna and neighbouring areas, expressing their anger over the failure of the government to pump out the water in the flood-hit Bihar. These protests have exposed the repeated claims by the top officials that situation has been improving.

A group of people from Agamkuan took to streets on Wednesday to protest against the continued water logging since last Saturday. They blocked NH 30 near Nandkak Chapra for nearly two hours, burnt tyres and shouted slogans against the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) and the state government.

Protesters said that the water has entered more than 150 houses in residential localities in Agamkuan. “We are living in a hell-like situation due to worst waterlogging. But the government has left us at God’s mercy .This time, waterlogging in Patna is manmade because money has been looted in the name of cleaning drains and construction of drainage network. Heavy rainfall for 60 hours proved how much work has been done,” said Lakshman Rai, one of the protestors while speaking to NewsClick.

BJP MLA from Kumharar (an Assembly seat in Patna) faced angry protesters in waterlogged Rampur, Nandnagar and Majhli Bazar localities when he visited the areas on Wednesday to distribute relief material. Protesters, however, questioned him where he was in the last four days and why he had been missing when they were suffering.

Meanwhile, protests were also staged by victims in Beur, who blocked the bypass road for four hours. They have demanded that BJP MP and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad explain why their residential locality is waterlogged for four days even after the heavy rainfall has stopped. Waterlogging victims from Khagaul also protested by blocking the Khagaul-Danapur road, while those form Jaiprakash Nagar blocked Ashiana-Digha road.

Another group of local residents staged protests near Alpana market in Patliputra colony—considered to be a plush locality. They said that the PMC has failed in pumping water out from the roads and the colony. “What can we do except protesting, as PMC is unable to clear water logging despite repeated requests and demands by us. We have decided to pump it out by ourselves by arranging motor pumps,” said Bablu Singh, a resident of the colony. 

There were reports of protests by angry waterlogged victims in the worst-hit residential localities of Kankarbagh, Rajendra Nagar, Masaurih and Fatuha. Residents of Kankarbagh and Rajendra Nagar have alleged that no government official has even visited them so far to enquire about their difficulties and problems.

“In a few waterlogged localities, people have been managing without water and food for two to three days now. We are trying to reach them with our limited resources and will try to rescue them,” said Satyam Kumar Jha, a youth, who is leading a team of college students to help the victims.

According to Chandrakanta, a social activist, waterlogging victims are still awaiting water bottles, food, milk and other essential items to survive, as they have been forced to confine to their houses. “We have distributed some items like water and food, but it is inadequate, as areas under water logging are many more.”

Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is also an MP from Patna Sahib parliamentary constituency, disappointed residents of the worst-hit Kakarbagh colony during his first visit on Wednesday. Prasad refused to reply to the locals’ questions, which angered the people. “It took five days for Prasad to visit Kankarbagh, and he inspected the situation without even entering the waterlogged area. He left the place without a single reply to the questions raised by some angry people,” said Shankar Sharma, a resident of Lohia Nagar in Kankarbagh.

Interestingly, most of the ruling BJP and JD-U leaders, including MLAs and MPs, are missing and are trying to avoid visiting the angry people.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, during his visit to waterlogged areas in Patna on Tuesday night, faced intense protests and reportedly lost his temper. He reportedly said that it is not only here; floods are happening in other parts of the country and in the US as well.

A waterlogging victim of Kankarbagh, Mithlesh Kumar, said “Prasad has done nothing to provide us relief, he is a hawa-hawai [pompous] minister and a leader, who only talks big. His move not to enter the waterlogged areas disappointed us.”

Patna has been facing waterlogging for the last five days after heavy rainfall, as drainage network is not functional—choked and clogged.

According to officials from the Urban Development Department, initially, soon after the heavy rainfall, most of pump houses were not working. “In the last two days, sump houses were repaired and direction has been given to keep them working non-stop to pump out the water,” said the official.

Though there has been no rain since Sunday night, the stinking water logged in the localities poses a threat of waterborne diseases.

Also, following the inundation, prices of essential commodities like potatoes, fruits, vegetables, etc. have gone up in the last four days.

The official death toll in Bihar after the heavy rainfall reached 40, but unofficial sources say that the number has crossed 50.

Also read: Patna: Water Logging Affected Residents Angry Over Inaction of BJP MLAs, MPs