Bihar launches ambitious river linking projects

Ground work has already started on eight projects, of which five relate to tackling of floods, two to create additional irrigation facility and the last a hydel power plant, the state water resource department's principal secretary Afjal Amanullah said.|

Amanullah said that the first such project envisaging interlinking of the Burhi Gandak river with Noon, Baya and Ganga rivers would start by mid 2011-12.

The total estimated cost for the project is above Rs four billion and it will come in handy in optimally utilising its water resources, Bihar Water Resources Minister Vijay Chaudhary said.

"The pre-feasibility report for the project is ready and a Detailed Project Report is being prepared by the National Water Development Authority," Chaudhary said.

Another project at hand is the interlinking of the Koshi and Mechi rivers which will create additional irrigation facilities in Supaul, Saharsa, Araria, Kishanganj and Purnia.

A sum of Rs 4441.82 crore would be spent on the scheme, he said.

In north Bihar, the projects lined up are Budhi Gandak - Non-Baya-Ganga link, Koshi-Bagmati link, Bagmati-Budhi Gandak link and Kohra-Chandrawat link, Chaudhary said.

The Koshi-Mechi link project has been conceived for irrigation purpose and the National Water Development Agency has been asked to prepare the DPR (detailed project report) in this regard.

The construction of the Budhi Gandak-Baya project may start in the financial year 2011-12 as the 13th Finance Commission sanctioned Rs 333 crore for the purpose, the minister said.

Similarly, the state government has taken up two river- linking projects in south Bihar aimed at creating additional irrigation facility which are: Dhanaraje-Phulwaria link and Sakri-Nata link, Chaudhary said.

Noting that the DPRs of the two river-linking projects in south Bihar are in the final stages, he said that the execution of the projects might start in 2011-12.

The state government also formulated new irrigation projects under which a second barrage will be constructed at Areraj on river Gandak, while irrigation and water recession projects will also come up at Bagmati and Mokama Taal regions, Chaudhary said.

The availability of per capita water per year has been steadily going down since 1991 in the country and the figure in case of Bihar was more alarming, the minister cautioned.

The people of the state faced a stark prospect of availability of less than 1000 cubic meter per capita by 2015 as against the corresponding figure of 1594 in 2001.