Now, Nepal stops Bihar from taking flood control measures

The strained relation between India and Nepal is having its cascading effect in Bihar where several hundred kilometres of area are likely to be submerged this monsoon if the Himalayan Kingdom remains adamant on not allowing fortification of embankment on the Nepal-Bihar border.

According to sources in the Water Resources Department, Nepal has stopped fortification of the 2.5 km-long embankment on Lal Bakey river in Dhaka block of East Champaran district in Bihar, claiming the 500 metres of the embankment fall in the Nepalese territory.

Lal Bakey river originates from Nepal but flows downstream in Bihar.

The Water Resources Department of Bihar has built the embankment (till the last point sharing with Nepal) and before every monsoon, carries out repair and fortification work. However, Nepal has now stopped the Bihar officials from carrying out flood control measures saying “500 metres of the 2.5 km-long embankment fall in Nepal, and, therefore, no such work could be carried out by them (Bihar engineers).”

“This is the first time that Nepal has taken such stand (of not allowing repair work),” said Bihar’s Water Resources Department Minister, Sanjay Jha. “If our engineers will not have access to flood fighting material there, then repair work of the embankment will be affected. During heavy rainfall in the Himalayan Kingdom, the pressure on the embankment will increase manifold and may pose threat to Bihar areas,” Jha added.

The minister said he is going to apprise the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) about the standoff. “I will write a letter in this regard to the MEA. If the issue is not addressed on time, then a large tract of land in Bihar could be flooded this rainy season,” said Jha.

This is the second occasion in the last fortnight when ties between Nepal and Bihar have been strained. On June 12, one Indian was killed while three others injured when Nepalese police reportedly opened fire at Sitamarhi-Nepal border. Tension between the two countries have been brewing ever since Nepal released a new map claiming Indian territories within the Himalayan Kingdom.