ITAHARI: Saptakoshi flood victims have started an agitation in Sunsari demanding compensation as per the provision approved by the High Level Committee formed to assess the problems faced by the flood victims.

The Maoist-led government had formed a High Level Committee led by Sunsari CA member Nandan Dutta three months ago to address the concerns of the flood victims. The flood victims disrupted the East-West highway for four hours till noon as part of their protest programme in Sunsari on Saturday.

The committee had studied the problems of the flood victims and given its recommendation to the government. The flood victims started their phase-wise protest programme four days ago citing they had not been provided relief as per the recommendation of the committee. They have been obstructing

the highway everyday extending the hours of their strike as per their phase-wise protest programme. The victims chanted slogans and asked the government to provide compensation according to the recommendation of the committee.

“We will be forced to intensify our protest if our demand

is not addressed by the government at the earliest,” Ayup Ansari of Koshi Victims’ Struggle Committee said.

“Several Koshi victims are forced to lead difficult lives. Some of them even lack the bare necessities to survive, as they have not been provided with relief as recommended by the committee,” added Ansari.

He also accused government employees and political

leaders of irregularities in distributing the relief funds allocated for the victims.