9 GATES OF FARAKKA BARRAGE OPENED, THREAT FO FLOODS IN 9 DISTRICTS OF BIHAR

23-JULY-ENG 6

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA-----------------------As a precautionary measure, all 108 gates of Farakka Barrage have been opened after the rise in the water level of Ganga from Buxar to Kahalgaon in Bihar. Ganga, which was flowing above the danger mark in Patna and Kahalgaon, crossed the red mark in Farakka on Monday night. On Tuesday evening, the water level of Ganga in Patna was 43 cm above the danger mark while in Farakka it was 20 cm above. This has created pressure on the embankments. The Water Resources Department has deployed 600 embankment security personnel to monitor the embankments. After heavy rains in the neighboring states, the water level of Ganga is rising from Buxar to Farakka.

In Buxar, the water level of the river is more than six meters higher than last year. According to the report of the Water Resources Department, in July, this much water has never come in the Ganga river in this period in the last 15 years. In the first week of July, there was five meters more water in the Ganga than last year. Only in Patna, the Ganga was flowing two meters above the danger mark since last year.

The threat of flood has started looming over nine districts of Bihar. These include Buxar, Patna, Vaishali, Samastipur, Munger, Begusarai, Katihar and Bhagalpur. After heavy rains in the Terai region of Nepal, the water level of Kosi and Budhi Gandak is above the danger mark. Budhi Gandak is flowing 41 centimeters above the danger mark in Khagaria. Kosi crossed the red mark in Supaul and Saharsa late on Tuesday evening. On the other hand, the government has deployed one security personnel (600 embankment security personnel) at every kilometer to monitor the embankment of Ganga.

More than 45 junior engineers have also been entrusted with the responsibility of continuous monitoring. Night patrolling of the embankment has also been started under the leadership of the senior engineer of the department. After opening the gates of Farakka Barrage, the water of Ganga has started flowing out rapidly. However, due to the unexpected water discharge in the Ganga river, water is spreading in the Diara areas of Buxar, Patna, Munger, Bhagalpur. Many areas are submerged.

In some districts of Seemanchal and East Bihar of Bhagalpur, Ganga-Kosi and their tributaries are in spate. In Katihar, the water level of Ganga, Kosi Barandi, Kari Kosi is increasing and is above the danger mark. While the water level in the upstream of the Mahananda river is stable, but it is increasing in the downstream.

Due to erosion by the fast current of the Ganga, agricultural land in Sabour, Kahalgaon and Pirpainti of Bhagalpur district is getting submerged in the river. On the other hand, flood water has entered dozens of villages of Bariyarpur block of Munger. Flood water has also entered the lower part of the Bariyarpur electricity substation. The water level of the river in Kahalgaon has reached 26 cm above the danger mark. Additional District Magistrate of Disaster Management, Nurul Ain, said that there has been no loss of money or life due to the rise in water level in the district.

River water has spread on the main road of some villages of Kursela. Four government boats are being operated for transportation. Traffic has been affected due to the spread of river water on the road connecting villages around Ahmedabad block headquarters. The water level of Ganga, Kosi and Barandi rivers has crossed the danger mark. The Mahananda river has become stable after the rise in water level on Tuesday morning.

But the water level of Mahananda river is about 21 cm above the warning level in the downstream. The water level of Kosi has started decreasing in Supaul. In Khagaria district, Ganga and Gandak have crossed the danger mark. In the last 24 hours, a rise of 40 cm was recorded in Ganga and 25 cm in Budhi Gandak river. Flood water has started entering villages like Vishnupur, Temtha etc. under Parbatta block of the district. Due to the rapid rise in the water level of the Ganga river, flood water has entered the lower villages of the block. Vishnupur of Madhavpur Panchayat, Muslim Tola of Temtha Karari, Sharma Tola etc. have been submerged. Apart from this, flood water has entered more than half a dozen primary and middle school premises of the block. The people living outside the GN dam have also become worried. Many roads leading to Diara have been blocked. The approach path of the high-level bridge built under the NABARD scheme on Sikendra Dhar near Malmali Bantoli Adivasi Tola under Lohagada Panchayat of Dighalbank block area collapsed due to rain. Due to intermittent rain for the last several days, water has accumulated on Sikendra Dhar. As soon as the water filled in the Dhar, the soil put on the approach path of the bridge became loose and started sinking. In such a situation, despite the repair work going on for the last several days, the approach is getting pressed and cracks are appearing in the repair work due to the soil getting completely loose below. JE Binod Kumar of Rural Works Department said that the bridge construction work is not yet complete. The work was to be completed by September, but in the meantime, due to rain, water had accumulated on the diversion built nearby. The traffic was started by doing the approach work in a hurry so that the movement of people is not disrupted. He said that the approach work is yet to be completed.

The traffic has been affected due to the sinking of the approach slab of Sitadhar bridge located on the highway in front of Forbesganj ITI on Tuesday. However, the repair work is going on. Till then vehicles have to pass through the service lane. This bridge is very old and maintenance work is done on it every year. In this regard, Praveen Kumar, Project Director of NHAI Purnia, said that there is an approach slab near the approach connect of the bridge which is placed on the soil. This is maintenance work. There was a slight jolt due to the rain, due to which the slab was compressed. The problems are being resolved. The work will be completed within two days and traffic will resume.