Thursday, September 1 2005 14:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Muzaffarpur: Bihar Governor Buta Singh today (September 1, 2005) ordered immediate suspension of absentee doctors in flood-hit areas of Muzaffarpur district and asked the District Magistrate to depute private doctors in health centres going without a doctor.

The Governor, who visited some villages in flood-ravaged Aurai block of the district yesterday (August 31, 2005), told reporters that two doctors found absent have placed under suspension.

Singh instructed District Magistrate S K Mishra to launch relief operations in the affected areas on a war footing and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 to the next of kin of each of those killed in yesterday's boat mishap in adjoining Sitamarhi district. Five persons were reported killed when a boat capsized in Bagmati river in Sitamarhi district yesterday.

The Governor also sanctioned Rs 15 crore for rural roads in naxalite affected Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts and asked the Road Construction department

Secretary, Shishir Sinha, to complete repair of national highways linking Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Gaya and Purnia within a month.

Replying to a question about frequent conflicts between farmers of India and Nepal at Susta in West Champaran district where the border between the two countries were not not demarcated, the Governor asked the authorities to put up pillars clearly defining the frontier.

He was informed by IG (Tirhut zone) B S Jayant, who was also present at the press conference, that patrolling by SSB and state police has been intensified in the area to prevent any outbreak of violence.