"I used the word 'joke' because of the way the administration has been behaving. This official visited us twice. He came empty handed the first time, noted down some figures and left. The second time, despite knowing there were 500 people here, he came with only 20 kilos of rice! We haven't seen him since," Akhtar said.

While Salahuddin doesn't want to venture into what will happen in the days to come, Akhtar minces no words.

"The water won't recede for many days to come. Then there will be heavy rains again. The way I see it, these people are not going anywhere for at least two months," he said.

This time Salahuddin talks. "Even if it takes three months, we will suspend school activities and continue to keep these people here. We have already spent close to a lakh and money is not a problem. We know how the authorities are and what will happen if these people leave this place. We will not let them down," he said.

Image: Flood-effected villagers wait for rescue personnel in Laxmipur.
Photographs: Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images

Also read: Was Nitish Kumar asleep while his state was drowning?

Give victims of Bihar's floods hope of a brighter future

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