Bihar CM Nitish Kumar rushes to Gaya to monitor waterlogging

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday rushed to Gaya in Bihar in the wake of widespread waterlogging in many areas due to rain and amid fear of stones slipping from a hill due to the downpour.

Kumar rushed to Gaya to take stock of situation and gave necessary instructions to officials to help the people.

According to a state Met official bulletin, Gaya recorded 107.9 mm rain in the last 24 hours.

The CM took help of a megaphone to appeal to people living near the hill at Gwal bigha area to move to safety amid fear of slipping of big stones under the impact of rain, an official statement said.

“If the rain continue, there is fear of slipping of stones,” Kumar said, appealing people to shift to camps meant for visitors to the Pitrapaksha fair.

The police would regularly patrol to safeguard their homes and belongings, the Chief Minister, while urging the people to move to the camps, said.

He said experts of Mines and Geology department under the Principal Secretary have reached Gaya to look into the slipping of stones from the hill.

Officials of the National Disaster Management Authority would reach Gaya tomorrow to probe the situation, Kumar said, adding, necessary steps would be taken based on their recommendations.

Kumar also monitored accumulation of water in many areas of Gaya due to the rain and instructed officials to remove encroachment from middle of Mansarva nullah at the Pantnagar locality.

Later, he held a meeting with officials at the Airport and instructed them to keep fire brigade services ready to deal with any eventuality.

Minister in-charge of Gaya Krishnandan Verma, Principal Secretary Disaster Management Department Vyasji and Principal Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office Chanchal Kumar accompanied Kumar to Gaya.