India and Nepal Discuss New High Dam to Mitigate North Bihar Floods: Sanjay Jha

Patna: India is in discussions with Nepal to prevent floods in North Bihar during the monsoon season. As per a previous agreement, a new high dam is proposed on the Nepal side to replace the existing Kosi Barrage in Bhimpur. The central government is also exploring other possibilities seriously. These updates were provided by Janata Dal United JD (U) Executive President and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Jha. Jha, a former Water Resources Minister of Bihar, stated that he recently visited Delhi to discuss the matter with various ministries, including the Foreign Minister, highlighting the collective effort being made in this direction.

During his visit to Rampur in Chhatapur, Supaul district on Monday, Jha emphasized the urgency of constructing new infrastructure as the current Kosi Barrage in Bhimpur has aged significantly. He noted that ongoing talks between India and Nepal are focusing on whether to rebuild the Kosi Barrage or to construct a new high dam, with the latter being a more effective solution for flood mitigation in North Bihar.

The Kosi river’s fast flow annually causes flood situations in Supaul and surrounding districts. Recently, heavy rains in Nepal resulted in the release of over 4 lakh cusecs of water from the Kosi Barrage, leading to water accumulation in low-lying areas of Supaul, Kishanpur, Saraigarh-Bhaptiyahi, Marouna, and Nirmali blocks. The continuous fluctuation in the Kosi river’s water level is also causing rapid erosion in many panchayats, creating fear among the residents.