The blame game on fixing responsibility over the breach in Kosi embankment, causing largescale devastation in Bihar, rose to a pitch on Saturday as the main opposition RJD called for booking Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and members of his government for the flood deaths.
"It is
not just floods.....Nitish Kumar and members of his government must be booked for the deaths of people since they are responsible," senior RJD leader and former water resource minister Jagdanand Singh told reporters.
"The official death toll does not present the actual figure as many people are dead and many more will die due to the government's neglect in protecting the embankment," Singh told a press conference.
RJD Spokesman Shyam Rajak, Patna MP Ramkripal Yadav and party Chief Whip in assembly Ramchandra Purvey were also present at the press conference.
Refuting JD(U) President Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan's contention that the Kosi high-level committee was a Central one, Singh released the copy of a 'resolution' of the state's Water Resource Department of February 1994.
The committee was constituted vide a departmental resolution dated March 16, 1978 to advise the government on flood protection works on the Kosi embankment considering the rivers 'erratic nature.'
Lalan said the state government submitted a project report to the committee in 2007 recommending desiltation of the river, which was shifting its course eastwards, so that it was forced back to its old course, but the proposal was rejected.