Bihar only have labourers, not companies, claims JD-U MP

Patna, May 2 (IANS) JD-U MP Giridhari Yadav has put a question mark on his own government and has claimed that Bihar only have labourers and not companies.

The statement from Banka MP came during the inspection of an under construction road bridge on Ganga river which collapsed at Sultanpur. Around 50 meters of the bridge collapsed amidst a strong wind on Saturday evening. The bridge will connect Bhagalpur district with adjoining Khagaria.

"We were expecting that the bridge will be built soon but such an incident will delay the project. It is a matter of investigation; and accountability should be fixed on the company. The contract for the construction of the bridge is given to a company which does not belong to Bihar. Here in Bihar, we have laborers but not companies," Yadav said.

The statement came at a time when Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Industry Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain are inviting industries to come in Bihar. Recently, a Pepsi plant was inaugurated in Begusarai and an ethanol plant in Purnea on Saturday.

The cost of the Sultanganj bridge is Rs 1,710 crore and it is one of the ambitious projects of the Chief Minister.

Nitin Navin, Bihar's Road Construction Minister said: "We have initiated thorough inquiry into the matter and culprits will be penalised."

"It seems that the balancing of the bridge was not done properly. The experts of IIT Roorkee and IIT Patna will investigate the incident and will report to the government in a time bound manner," he added.

LJP (R) president Chirag Paswan said that the Chief Minister should be answerable to such a collapse. "Why are bridges collapsing regularly in Bihar," he asked.

"The way the bridge collapsed in a strong wind indicates a massive level of corruption in it. Low cost materials would have been used in it. The construction company completely compromised with the quality of the bridge," Paswan alleged.