Cong for declaring cyclonic storm in Bihar a national calamity

Claiming that the cyclonic storm that has ravaged Bihar causing large scale destruction of life and property, the Congress today asked the Centre to declare the incident a natural calamity and announce a package for relief and reconstruction works, besides waiving loan of farmers.
"A Congress delegation recently visited 10-12 villages in Purnea district - worst affected by cyclonic storm last week - and found to their horror a trail of destruction left behind by the calamity," Bihar Congress President Ashok Chaudhary told reporters.
There has been massive loss of life and property in Purnea district with the farmers being worst hit as their crops and houses have been extensively damaged, he said.

Lauding the Central Ministers and the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for rushing to Purnea to inspect the situation and take first-hand account of devastation caused by the storm, Chaudhary said that much more was needed to be done to provide succour to the affected people.
Stating that the state government has already launched relief and rehabilitation works in the district and adjoining areas, the Centre should also chip in with necessary measures beginning with declaring the incident a natural calamity, besides announcing a package and waiver of loans by the farmers, the Congress leader said.
He said that the Congress will submit a memorandum to the Centre through the Governor tomorrow penning its charter of demands for relief and rehabilitation works arising out of cyclonic storm in Bihar.

Chaudhary said that the Congress leaders will also call on the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar soon to urge him to step up relief works among the affected people most of whom were very poor lacking resources to rebuild their lives.
It may be mentioned that a powerful cyclonic storm had rocked Eastern and North-Eastern districts of Bihar last week in which at least 55 people were killed and thousands of houses razed in high velocity wind accompanied by hailstorm.
The storm had also extensively damaged standing crops.