Updated on Saturday, February 28, 2009, 00:00 IST

Madhepura (Bihar), Feb 28: The Bihar government has taken a vow to turn the flood-ravaged Kosi region into a prosperous zone, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday.

The fields of farmers whose fertile land had been filled with sand would be adequately compensated and effort would be made to remove the sand from their fields, Kumar told a gathering here.

Referring to the devastations wreaked by Kosi, known as the 'sorrow of north Bihar', Kumar said the river changed its course after breaching its embankment at Kushaha on August 18 and brought a layer of sand while receding and filled vast tracts of arable land with sand in five districts of Bihar.

Announcing his government's plans to set up a community-hall-cum shelter centre on elevated grounds at each cluster of human habitation in the flood affected districts, Kumar said, "these centres would be quake-resistant."

The funds allocated for the flood affected students would be distributed within a week, he said.

Kumar also laid the foundation stone of Rs 403-crore development projects in adjoining Supaul district.

Bureau Report