Water level of Ganga declining, will rescue people safely: DIG NDRF

Patna, Aug. 23 (ANI): Assuring safety to those affected from flood in Bihar, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Surjeet Singh Guleria on Tuesday said the water level in the Ganga River is above danger level, but there has been considerable decline in water level in past two days. "The water level of Ganga River is above danger level. However, there has been decline in the water level in past two days. The people staying in the coastal region from Buxar to Bhagalpur are badly affected with this flood. 12 districts are suffering from the flood like situation in Bihar," said Guleria. Guleria said it is good that from past few days it has not been raining due to which it has become easy to carry out the operation in the flood affected region. While providing details of the rescue operations, Guleria informed that people involved in rescue operation have specialisation in handling flood like situations. "Our local battalion 9 Batallion NDRF which of being commanded by Vijay Sinha, they are deployed in this operation from the very beginning. All together 21 team of our will operate this operation. More than 900 rescuer of NDRF are involved," he said. He added that till now, 14000 people have been evacuated and the NDRF along with SDRF is working in close co-ordination with the state government to carry out the relief operation. "It is difficult to carry out rescue operation at night as it is difficult to find direction. Even in day time the local guide working with us fails to find the correct direction due to heavy water logging in several areas. This has become an issue for us," said Guleria. Earlier in the day, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the flood situation in the state and said that the Centre has assured of all assistance. Kumar said the current agenda is to rescue the people and provide them relief. Ganga and five other rivers are flowing above danger mark in many parts of Bihar and having triggered a flood-like situation in the districts situated along their banks. According to reports, the affected districts include Patna, Vaishali, Buxar, Bhojpur, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar. The Centre last night rushed 10 NDRF teams to flood-hit areas of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in order to launch massive relief and rescue operations to help those marooned in these states. In order to launch massive operations in the two worst-affected states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the NDRF has created on-ground control rooms in these two states and deputed two senior Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) S.S. Guleria (Patna) and R.K. Rana (Varanasi) to take control of the situation. (ANI)