Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has written to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressing sadness at the loss of lives and the suffering that the state is facing as a result of severe monsoon flooding. The Dalai Lama offered his prayers and condolences to the families who have lost loved ones. "I commend the state government," he wrote, "and all those engaged in rescue work and the provision of relief to people affected by this natural calamity. As a mark of solidarity with the people of Bihar, I have asked the Dalai Lama Trust to make a donation towards the relief and rescue efforts." His Holiness added that since such disasters seem to recur year after year, he hopes, as a friend and regular visitor to Bihar, that steps are taken to explore long-term solutions to such calamities, which unfortunately deflect attention from other vital development initiatives. (IANS)