Flood victims eat rats in Bihar's Katihar district for survival

PATNA: Flood victims in Katihar district said they are eating rats in the absence of relief material, even as the district magistrate claimed community kitchens were feeding displaced villagers.


“We were left with nothing to eat after floodwaters inundated our houses and forced us to take shelter by roadsides.

We are surviving on rats, which our sons and grandsons catch from nearby localities,” Tala Murmu (55), a resident of Dangi Tola under Kadwa block in Katihar district, said on Tuesday.

Katihar DM Poonam, however, feigned ignorance. “I have no idea about it. But I will definitely verify it from the officials concerned if you are saying so,” she told this newspaper over the phone from Katihar.

Around 300 families, mostly belonging to Mahadalit and scheduled tribe communities, reside at Dangi Tola. Residents of nearby Bharri village, which falls under Kadwa block of the district, also echoed similar views. “There is no relief material. Nobody has taken notice of our plight. Rats are the only source of survival for people here,” said Mukesh (34), a resident of Barri village.

Over 12 villages under Kadwa block, around 35km from Katihar town, are submerged in floodwaters. Congress MLA from Kadwa Shakeel Ahmad Khan described the plight of flood victims as “shameful”. “I have also come to know about some people surviving on rats. Packets of neither ‘chura’ (beaten rice) nor ‘pawroti’ (bread) have so far been distributed among the flood victims,” he lamented.

Taking potshots at the state government, former CM and leader of opposition in state legislative council Rabri Devi said in Patna, “Relief material nahi milega toh log chuha aur machhli hi khayenge (If people don’t get relief material, they will eat rats and fish only to survive).”

Demanding resignation of CM Nitish Kumar, Rabri said the state of flood-hit people has exposed the tall claims of the state government about relief and rescue operations. “The state government should provide food items and water packets to the stranded people as they are forced to eat rats and fishes,” she said.

The DM, however, claimed that community kitchens have already been started for the flood victims of the district. “When we are ready to feed the victims bhaat, daal and sabji, why packets of chura should be distributed among them,” she asked.

The DM added that the Mahananda is in spate causing flood in many parts of Katihar district. “Floodwaters have entered some villages due to overflowing of embankment, which is still incomplete. The repair work will be completed in next two three days,” she added.

Kadwa BDO Rakesh Kumar said community kitchens are running from 11 schools where the victims have taken shelter. “NDRF personnel have been pressed into service to rescue people from marooned villages,” he added.