20 months of despair

Victims of the 2008 Kosi flood in Bihar are awaiting compensation. They cannot farm because their land is full of fine silt. Officials in the flood-affected districts say villagers complain because they don’t understand the formalities—they need to furnish a first information report (fir) and death certificate to claim compensation. If villagers do manage to get these documents the officials’ explanation for delay is paperwork. Till that gets sorted the flood victims continue to suffer.