Paswan ridicules Bihar govt's claim

PURNEA: Union Minister and LJP President Ram Vilas Paswan today ridiculed the Bihar government's claim of an "unprecedented tsunami" wreaking havoc in five districts of the state.
    
"The state government's claim about the unprecedented tsunami is ridiculous. We can say the devastation caused by the floods in Bihar has been like that of tsunami", Paswan said at the airbase here after making an aerial survey of the affected areas in flood-hit Araria, Samastipur, Saharsa, Supaul, Purnea and Madhepura.
    
He advised the state government to give up the confrontational attitude with the Centre, which was ready to provide all possible support and financial assistance to tackle the situation.
    
"The state government was alerted by the Meteorological department about the possibility of ravages likely to be caused by change of course of river Kosi in downstream Nepal. Had the state government been alert, the situation could have been tactfully handled and the magnitude of damage minimised," Paswan said.
    
The government's behaviour, he said, was irresponsible resulting in a tsunami-like devastation rendering lakhs of people homeless.
     
The Steel minister said he would accompany Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his aerial survey of the flood-affected areas of the state tomorrow.