Floods have been associated with Bihar for centuries. But in recent years the risk of flooding within the state has decreased. However, no permanent solution has been found yet. The state government expressed happiness that there was not much damage due to floods this year. State water resources department minister Sanjay Kumar Jha said that the immediate action taken by the government resulted in the breaking of the last 33-year record of water release from Kosi river in August this year. Even then the government succeeded in saving North Bihar from the ravages of floods. This is a result of 24-hour high alert during the monsoon season.
Construction of high dam in Nepal is necessary to save North Bihar from floods. But even after 19 years, the DPR is yet to be formed, whereas the joint committee of India and Nepal was formed only in 2004. At the same time, the Meteorological Department has announced the end of southwest monsoon from across the country, after which the chances of flooding in the state have reduced.
More water has been released from the Kosi and Gandak barrages this monsoon
Water Resources Department Minister Sanjay Kumar Jha, while giving information on his social media account, said that the last 33-year record of water release in the Kosi river was broken in August. A record 4 lakh 62 thousand 345 cusecs of water was released from Kosi barrage and 3 lakh cusecs from Gandak barrage on the morning of August 14 this year. Still no dam broke. The department has been successful in preventing the devastation of floods.
Use these plans to reduce the impact of flooding
The main cause of flooding in the districts of North Bihar is the flooding of the rivers coming from Nepal every year. To reduce the damage caused by these, Government of Bihar is working through many projects including steel sheet piling, state-of-the-art early warning system, Mathematical Modeling Centre, Physical Modeling Centre. Meanwhile, during the last five years (2017-22), the water resources department spent a total of Rs 8561.62 crore on anti-flood and flood protection works.
We are pleased that Bihar has achieved historic success in flood control this year.
The Meteorological Department has announced the end of southwest monsoon from the entire country. This is in recognition of the immediate work done by the Water Resources Department of the Government of Bihar to reduce the impact of floods and monsoons in Bihar… pic.twitter.com/w4riyXTmZ7
— Sanjay Kumar Jha (@SanjayJhaBihar) October 20, 2023
The water resources minister said that a large area in and around Kusheshwar place in Darbhanga district is inundated with flood water for about six months every year. Three rivers (Kosi, Kamala Balan and Kareh) meet near Fuhia. But due to the construction of embankments and flood-proof sluices by the Water Resources Department, paddy cultivation is now taking place in those areas.
High dams are needed in Nepal for a permanent solution to floods
Minister Manoj Kumar Jha said construction of high dam in Nepal is necessary for permanent solution to floods in North Bihar. In this regard, a joint committee was also formed between the Governments of India and Nepal in 2004 to prepare the DPR. But so far no solution has been found. Being an international issue, this task can be taken forward only with the cooperation of both the countries, for which the Bihar Government is trying to take meaningful steps in this direction.
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