RAUTAHAT: Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal presidium member Rajendra Mahato said the authorities from both Nepal and India should hold talks to solve the inundation problems faced by people living in border areas due to Indian dam built near the border.

In a press meet organised in Gaur, Rauthat district headquarters today the parliamentary State Affairs and Good Governance Committee member Mahato who arrived here to monitor flood-hit areas stressed that the problems should be solved by diplomatic means as it was communal in nature.

Coordinator of four-member team Mahato disclosed the details of loss incurred due to floods in Rautahat district on July 12 and 13. He also revealed how the rescue operations were carried out in the flood-hit areas. The RJP-N member informed that the financial support promised by the provincial government was on the way while the local government distributed the tarpaulin provided by the federal government. Province 2 government on July 14 had decided to provide Rs 300,000 to families of the deceased.

Although the District Disaster Committee account holds Rs 170 million, people are still facing problems as the amount has not been spent in rescue, relief and rehabilitation for the people victimised by the flood.

Mahato lamented that the rescue and rehabilitation operation was not carried out with speed. He said the disaster management was not well-prepared and lacked rescue boats. He also attributed the death from floods to the India-built dams on Bagmati and Lalbakaiya rivers that were in need of renovation.

The SAGGC team including Ramsahaya Yadav, Vijay Subba and Maheshwar Gahatraj that started monitoring flood-hit areas of Province 2 from Janakpur arrived in Rautahat today. The team would visit flood-hit areas in Bara and Parsa today itself and return Kathmandu.

The team monitored Banjaraha, Phatuwa, Rajdevi, Indian dam among other settlements affected by the floods.