Shatrughan Sinha, Adil Hussain and others call for a permanent solution to floods in Assam, Bihar

Distressed over floods in Assam and Bihar, showbiz personalities such as il Hussain, Pankaj Tripathi and actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha are demanding a permanent solution to annual cycle of deluge and destruction in ir homelands. 

Floods have killed more than 100 people in Bihar and affected more than 80 lakh in 12 districts. In Assam, toll is nearly 70 with 28 lakh people hit in 19 of state's 33 districts. Patna-born Sinha said it is as if a b omen is upon his home state, which was reeling under effect of an encephalitis outbreak, extreme heat and w floods. 

"This happens year after year. But this is t time to play blame-game. It's time for remedy, relief and compensation. People have come out on streets and are living in so-called shelter homes with minimum or facilities. It's patic," veteran actor-politician told.

"People are suffering. We have to think of a permanent solution to existing problem. Sooner better. We need immediate help relief and permanent remedial measures," he ded.

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Hussain, who belongs to Assam's Goalpara district, said country has t been able to come up with a "concrete plan" for tackling problem even 70 years after  Independence,  

"Since India claims to be wiser in terms of its techlogy and we have more resources as we are growing ecomically as power and since entire world has more hands-on and evolved ideas vis-a-vis problem-solving, why is it that we have t come up with a concrete plan...?" he asked.

" plan w has to incorporate fact that climate change is real. re will be more unpredictable showers and rains in a limited period of time. We need to find out how it can be channelised as you cant control a river in its entirety, it can only be channelised so that if ne, fewer lives are affected by floods," actor told PTI. 

Hussain said every year re is a flood-like situation in Assam and authorities need to find a permanent solution. problem has reached our doorstep and we are "unintelligent" if we don't realise it, he said. 

"Maybe it has t yet come to your doorstep but it will come to your children's doorstep in future. This also means we have stopped loving people and our country. We are t patriots and t worthy of calling ourselves responsible citizens," he ded.

Tripathi, who hails from Bihar's Chhapra district, also called for a long-term solution to tackle floods in his state. actor underscored that an individual may contribute through CM relief fund, but eventually it is state machinery which has power to bring about a change. 

"At an individual level, we can contribute to CM's flood relief fund. But every year floods will happen and a relief fund will be started. A permanent solution is needed. Eir we make our dams stronger or revive network of canals. In Bihar, re are also areas which are dry," he told PTI.

National Award-winning filmmaker Rima Das, who belongs to a vill in Assam's Kamrup district, said she has been seeing devastation and destruction caused by floods since she was a child.  

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"Lives are lost, livelihoods affected, homes are destroyed, animals are washed away. While we can't control nature, I feel re's so much we can do to minimise dam. 

"Interlinking of rivers, building on multiple smaller dams are some of solutions professionals have suggested. It's time professionals, ministration and people put aside ir differences and come toger for larger cause," Das told PTI. Actor-TV host Shekhar Suman, who belongs to Bihar capital Patna, said floods can longer be passed off as a natural catastrophe by both state and central governments.

"We can't just pass it off as a natural calamity, a catastrophe every time and say 'this is beyond our control.' This happens world over but consistency with which it has been happening in India and especially Bihar, where so many people lose ir lives, it's a cause of great worry," Suman said. 

Maj Bajpayee, born in Bihar's West Champaran district, is equally anguished, asking people to come forward and donate as much as possible.

"But my question is: Is that a solution? Is that a solution to a problem which has been recurring for years. We have been doing thing about it. matter how much we donate or civilians come ahe and start putting in whatever y have, we have to look for long term solutions," he told press.

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A permanent solution is imperative, he said. 

"If that means sit with Nepal authorities and sign some kind of treaty, n so be it," he ded.