Patna, Oct 1 (IANS): Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan visited the flood-affected Saharsa district in Bihar on Tuesday to assess the situation firsthand.

Paswan acknowledged that the flood situation in the district is alarming. He emphasised that providing relief to the flood-affected victims should be a top priority for the state government. He also distributed food packets and other relief items to the flood-affected people.

Paswan travelled by road to Saharsa and then took a boat to reach Navhatta block, one of the worst-hit areas.

While speaking to the media, he remarked that while floods are a recurring problem in North Bihar, especially in the Tirhut, Kosi and Seemanchal regions, the scale of devastation this year is unprecedented.

He stressed the need for long-term solutions to address such natural calamities, pointing to river-linking projects and the construction of high dams as potential strategies to mitigate future flood risks.

“I will bring these issues to the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, for permanent solutions to the region's persistent flood problems,” Paswan said.

He stressed the importance of relief and rehabilitation efforts for the victims.

“Our immediate priority is to help displaced villagers return to their homes as quickly as possible. I have also instructed the local administration to ensure the provision of food through community kitchens and to supply fodder for cattle,” he said.

Paswan also acknowledged complaints about irregularities in the distribution of essentials like food, tents, and other daily necessities, urging officials to address these grievances promptly.

He emphasised that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are closely monitoring the flood situation, which has impacted 13 districts under the Champaran, Tirhut, Kosi and Seemanchal divisions.

The flood has been exacerbated by large volumes of water released from the Valmikinagar Gandak Barrage and Kosi Barrage over the past four days, leading to deluge in low-lying areas.

In addition to relief efforts, Paswan underscored the need for coordinated rescue operations, instructing disaster management teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), to prioritise rescue missions.