Patna, Sept 12 : In a bid to speed up flood rescue operations, the police department of Bihar has ordered production of 1000 life saving jackets for its personnel engaged in rescuing marooned and flood affected people.

Although the fury of River Kosi has ebbed, the police personnel, deputed to undertake rescue operations have been facing hurdles in conducting rescue operations because of non-availability of adequate number of life saving jackets.

Till now 500 jackets have been made and 500 more are in the pipeline.

“This is to help our police officials to carry the rescue work without any hassles and rescue the flood affected people efficiently. After wearing this no one would sink. The main purpose of this is to make the evacuation process hassle free,” said Gopal Paswan, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Bihar Police.

At the Central Stores of Bihar police located in the camp of Bihar Military Police in Patna, around eight tailors have been working round the clock to make these life jackets.

Each jacket weighs just half a kilogram and can endure bodyweight up to 100 kilograms in the water. The jackets are being regularly sent to the flood affected areas to speed up the evacuation process.

“We are eight-ten people who are working here daily making eight-nine pieces (life saving jackets) and these are being sent daily to Madhupura and Saharsa in the government vehicles,” said Dawood Azad, tailor.

Bihar has witnessed the worst floods in living memory. Over three million people have been displaced and over 90 people have lost their lives because of the catastrophe caused by the Kosi river.

The government and the self-help groups are striving hard to evacuate the people and prevent spread of an epidemic. (ANI)