Indian PM sets up panel to combat floods, toll nears 240

[senorpepr]

GUWAHATI, India (AFP) - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he would set up a panel for a lasting solution to floods which every year ravage the nation's east and northeast, as officials reported another 44 people killed.

"The time has come to take a holistic view to find a permanent, medium- and long-term solution to the flood problem in India," he said in northeastern Assam state's main city of Guwahati after an hour-long aerial survey of floods which have hit 11 million Indians.

Singh said he had set up a "high-power task force" which is to submit a report on "strategies to control floods on a permanent basis" within six months.

Singh's trip came as the death toll due to flooding caused by torrential monsoon rains since mid-June in India touched 237, after another three deaths were reported in Assam and 41 more in adjoining Bihar state in the past 24 hours.

"I have realised the gravity of the situation after making an aerial survey and the situation is really devastating," Singh said.

He said India would discuss with China and Bhutan claims that floods in India were aggravated by the two neighbours releasing excess waters from their brimming dams.

Singh was responding to a query on a letter addressed to him by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stating China and Bhutan had released waters to Assam's already-swollen Brahmaputra river.

"Incidents like flooding have always been (inter-country affairs) and if required we will have to discuss the problem with the two countries," Singh told reporters.

The Assam government describes the floods as the worst in 25 years and has demanded 21.56 billion rupees (479 million dollars) in federal aid.

The floods have wreaked havoc in the state with 8,500 villages washed away, about 600 endangered animals drowned in three wildlife parks and 2,466 kilometres (1,528 miles) of highways damaged.

Airforce helicopters, meanwhile, plucked to safety 300 marooned women and children from some of the worst-hit villages where reports of water-borne diseases and snake bites are now surfacing.

In the state of Bihar, the situation worsened Tuesday as surging waters from the Gandak, Baghmati and Kosi rivers flooded new areas, a government spokesman said.

He said floodwaters broke into the flourishing commercial city of Purnea which adjoins Nepal and added to the woes of residents of inundated Khagaria town.

The airforce has launched a massive operation to air-drop thousands of tonnes of food and medicines in Assam and Bihar, where another 10 million people are affected.

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