PATNA: Bihar still continues to be the most flood-prone state of India with more than 76% of the population of its northern part are doomed to face flood every year.
This year also, more than 15 lakh of the population in North Bihar’s 11 districts, directly or indirectly, were affected by the flood.
On Friday, experts from across the country and other countries, including Nepal and Italy, dwelt upon “Revisiting Flood Management and Irrigation Improvement Issues in Bihar”, at a 2-day international Webinar, hosted by Water Resource Department (WRD).
WRD minister of Bihar Sanjay K Jha while inaugurating the Webinar outlined the initiatives taken by CM Nitish Kumar to overcome the perennial flood problems in North Bihar in particular and other parts of the state in general.
Jha said that out of 38 districts of the state, 28 districts are flood-prone in Bihar, including 15 among 28, which are most flood-affected.
He claimed that the WRD is working on a long-term solution for water management to check not only the recurring flood but also proper water management.
“Early warning system, the Real Data Time Acquisition System, the Spatial Database System, use of remote sensing & GIS and other arrangements have been taken up by the WRD”, Jha shared with the experts from Italy, Nepal, IIT Rookie, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Lucknow.
WRD Secretary Sanjeev Hans presenting a comprehensive action plan on flood-check predicted that the frequency and intensity of floods in Bihar would increase in the days to come.
“Under the guidelines of CM Nitish Kumar, WRD has been working on structural, non-structural and green measures for flood mitigation and adopting a slew of various other scientific measures to save the people from flood furies”, Hans said.
Hans also outlined the terracing of the slope of embankments and other initiatives like CAD-WM programs and for improvement of canal structures. Hans said that experts on the first day proposed for construction of high dams on several major rivers in the highland of Nepal, from where the rivers originate and flow through the plains of Bihar.
Other experts, who attended the first day of the international Webinar, included DR RN Sankhua from Hyderabad, N.Dinesh Kumar, Manoj Chauhan, Neera Shreshtha Pradhan (Nepal), RR Upadhaya, Minimol Corulla, Mccaferry from Italy, and others.