People panicky as Kosipilot channel shelved

SAHARSA: The water resource development (WRD) department's failure to construct the much-needed pilot channel in the downstream of Kosi barrage at Bhimnagar has sounded alarm bell in the Kosi region, particularly the residents of Saharsa and Supaul districts due to possible threat to the eastern Kosi embankment.
During the last few years, the Kosi river has been mounting heavy pressure on the eastern embankment due to excessive siltation, resulting in the formation of a heap of sand on the western side.In order to reduce the pressure on the eastern embankment and to regulate the flow of river equally on both sides, the WRD authorities had planned to build a 7-km-long pilot channel in the downstream of the Kosi barrage. But this project estimated to cost Rs 11 crore has been shelved due to the objections raised by the people of Nepal and the Nepal government.
WRD minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, who visited Birpur on Sunday to review the ongoing anti-erosion works, has also admitted that the construction of pilot channel could not be possible due to non-cooperation of Nepal. The minister has, however, directed the engineers to take alternative measures for the protection of the embankment.
According to sources, the engineers have now started dredging out the sand from the river and for this purpose, a dredger machine of the mechanical division at Birpur has been working round the clock. But the success of this scheme, too, is being viewed as doubtful in view of considerable increase in the water discharge in the coming weeks.
Although monsoon is yet to arrive, the recent spells of rain in the catchment area have started creating problems, though not major ones, on some parts of the eastern embankment. A fortnight ago, pressure was seen at 81.75km point of the eastern embankment and now land erosion is taking place between 80.30 and 80.60km points near the old Devan Van temple. The residents of Fekrahi, Parasbanni and other adjoining villages under Nawhatta block have demanded immediate protection works on these points. The superintending engineer (SE) of the eastern embankment circle, Dharnidhar Prasad, has, however, ruled out the possibility of any threat to the embankment. The SE said that some land erosion was taking place there but that was not serious. He assured to start protection work there in the next few days.