The CPI(ML) Bihar State Committee sent a 3-member fact finding team comprising of State Committee comrades SK Sharma, Pankaj Singh and Araria District Secretary Naval to asses relief work in 35 villages under 8 village panchayats of 3-blocks in Purnia- Kaswa, Jalalgarh and Vayasi and 18 villages under 5 village panchayats of two blocks in Araria District- Forbesganj and Raniganj.
The 3-member team, after meeting thousands of affected victims found out that as long as 90 hours since the cyclonic storm, no relief material or food-grain had reached the people and the victims were left to perish under the open sky and blazing sun, braving acute hunger. Compensation and relief have not been given to all the families of those who were killed by the storm. Hollow promises are being made by the ministers concerned. The number of families affected by the storm is over one lakh. Corn, sunflower, banana and mango crops lie flattened and devastated. Roofs of the huts in more than a lakh homes have been blown away, and the damage to the small peasants, share-croppers etc. is to the tune of Rs.6 billion. The number of injured is in thousands and no arrangement has been made for their treatment. Hundreds of cattle and other animals have perished, thousands are injured and no arrangement has been made for veterinary treatment either. Thousands of trees have been uprooted and those still standing are badly damaged.
The CPI(ML) has launched a series of protests and initiatives to force the Nitish Govt. to urgently speed up the relief effort. Several demonstrations have already taken place to force the officials to do everything necessary.
