Haridaspur (Bhagalpur), Jan. 20: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today urged people living in the Ganga's catchment areas to raise their voice against the Farakka Barrage in Bengal.

Nitish has blamed the barrage for choking the river's silt discharge system and inflicting the annual devastating floods on Bihar.

At Haridaspur village in Nathnagar block, one of the worst flood-affected villages in Bhagalpur, Nitish said: "I tried my level best to pressure the Centre, spoke to the Prime Minister, managed to summon central expert teams and prepare detailed reports on how the silt chokes Farakka and lowers the depth of the riverbed, causing floods."

He called for decommissioning of the barrage and planning of an eco-friendly silt management policy for the river.

On Friday morning, Nitish reached Haridaspur village, which has been developed as an open-defecation-free village. Each of the 110 households in the village has toilets, drinking water facilities, electricity connection and is connected by pucca (metalled) road - all of which are part of the chief minister's seven resolves for a developed Bihar.

At a Chetna Sabha compound in Bhagalpur, Nitish congratulated women for helping the government implement prohibition in the state.

He said the government remained committed to fulfilling previous commitments for the betterment of villages. "It's a matter of pride that a sleepy and flood-ravaged village like Haridaspur now has all basic amenities," he said.

He also claimed that his government had empowerment women.

The Lok Shikayat Nivaran Kendra (grievance redress centre) has become popular, he said, indicating that people are aware of how to get the maximum government benefits.