Bihar minister cancels UK tour after a snub from Jitan Ram Manjhi

Jitan Ram Manjhi expressed displeasure at the state Urban Development Minister's trip to England when large parts of Patna remained under water, Samrat Chaudhary, the concerned minister, cancelled his trip. "We have decided to cancel the trip to England in view of the waterlogging problem in Patna," Chaudhary told PTI.

Manjhi told reporters when asked about Chaudhary's visit to the UK, "He should not go outside the country when Patna is battling waterlogging in majority areas for the past many days."

Chaudhary was to go to the UK with a team of officials from tomorrow to study solid waste management system in that country for replicating them in the capital town. Chaudhary today cracked the whip on Executive Officer of Patna Municipal Corporation in Kankarbagh for dereliction of duty. He said the officials were working on war footing to drain out accumulated water from Rajendranagar, Kankarbagh and Patliputra colony among others localities which are under two to three feet of water, affecting a majority of the 20 lakh population of the city. "If work is not hampered by further rains we expect to clear waterlogging by today evening," Chaudhary said.

The state government had drawn flak of the Patna High Court two days back for accumulation of rainwater in major localities since August 13. Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh appearing before the court yesterday promised to clear waterlogging in the next 48 hours.