Bhojpur villages face flood, erosion threats

Ara: Several villages under Barhara and Shahpur blocks in Bhojpur district face erosion threat from the swollen Ganga. The river water is rubbing the boundary wall of the treatment plant at village Mauzampur. If anti-erosion drive is not started on a war footing at the earliest, it may disappear in the river forcing the people of the area to drink water containing arsenic.Thousands of residents under Barhara and Shahpur blocks are living in constant fear as the water of the swollen Ganga has started entering a number of villages.
Floodwaters entered into the fields of Neknamtola, Bakhorapur, Baraka Lauhar, Keshopur, Karaja, Dubey Chhapra, Durgtola, Khawaspur, Mathwalia, Khakhan Tola, Bhawan Tola, Hazipur, Ekwana, Gyanpur, Semaria, Mauzampur, Nurpur, Birahimpur under Bhaisahia, Dudhaha, Bafields villages under Barhara block and Damodarpur, Jawainiya, Gangapur, Nandpur, Bhusaula, Lakshsu Tola, Sarangpur, Suremanpur, Chakki, Nauranga, Laloo Ka Dera, and others in Shahpur block, damaging the standing crops in thousands of acres.
Shahpur CO Mani Kumari Karnika visited the areas on Friday to review the situation. Karnika admitted that if the rising Ganga water level continued, dozens of villages might be inundated in a day or two. She also directed the employees to keep a close eye on the flood situation. Om Prakash, executive engineer, flood control, Ara, said the Ganga water level was rising but was flowing below the danger mark.
Hemant Kumar Singh, in charge of district disaster management, said Bhojpur district administration has made elaborate arrangements to tackle flood and the circle officers of Barhara, Koelwar, Shahpur, Bihia, Udwantnagar and Ara had been given Rs 1 lakh each to tackle flood. He said the district had 105 boats and five mahajals while the civil Surgeon has formed medical teams for these flood-prone blocks. Floodwaters is flowing over Ara-Sandesh, Ara-Mathawalia, Ara-Neknam Tola roads and snapped their link with the district headquarters. Shiva Nath Singh, Baliram Singh and Harendra Singh of Mauzampur said neither the state government nor the district administration had paid any heed to their problems.