The Indian government, on the contrary, points to them as a good example of transboundary water cooperation and management. The Kosi barrage alone has 56 floodgates.
Whenever monsoon-induced floods on the river reach "danger" levels, India is criticised for not opening all the gates, which locals say threatens settlements in Nepal. The Kosi, long known as the "sorrow of Bihar", has flooded several times in the past and caused devastation. When it burst through its banks in , thousands died and nearly three million people in Nepal and India were affected. Since the barrage is now nearly 70 years old and there are fears that big floods could damage it, India has been planning to build a dam to the north of the barrage.
This too would be located in Nepal. Many of Nepal's rivers flow though the Chure mountain range that has a fragile ecology and is already severely threatened. These hills once checked the flow of the rivers and minimised the damage they could cause, both in Nepal and across the border in India.
But deforestation and mining have destabilised the hills. A recent construction boom has led to rampant mining of boulders, pebbles and sand from the river beds in the region. The infrastructure industry in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is further encouraging the destruction of the area's natural resources.
And with all of these natural checks gone, monsoon floods are no longer under control, say officials. A high-profile conservation campaign was launched a few years ago but it fizzled out and the plundering of natural resources has now reached alarming levels. The region's ecology is crucial not just for the future of Nepal's plains, known as the country's breadbasket, but also for Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. All the proposed infrastructures for flood control would be highly visible measures.
But if deforestation is the problem, then the answer perhaps is reforestation. Unlike big dams, barrages, canals and artificial reservoirs to name national personalities after, reforestation has no glamour to it. Us impact is not immediate and it does not require international credit in the billions. Ultimately, it involves turning the hill economy around. It is always easier to build a dam.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Bangladesh Cover. The Editors Nov 01, Apportioning Blame Generally, during an average monsoon, over a fifth of Bangladesh, 29, sq km, gets submerged. All Soil, No Rock Among those who think that the case of deforestation is being oversold is Steve Brichieri-Col urnbi, a British consultant with many years of experience in Bangladesh. Silt, Dams and Tremors Ironically, says a Save the Children Fund advisor, for all the devastation this past summer, Bangladesh will probably reap a bumper crop in the spring because of the life giving silt brought down by the rivers.
The Editors. Topics : Bangladesh , floods. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. What you can do to Support our work Join us. Southasiasphere The Himal guide to the region.
Latest Articles. Against forgetting. Politicians in Bihar repeatedly blame Nepal for 'releasing water' and flooding Bihar.
Bihar also has unresolved issues with Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Next year Bangladesh went to the UN. India has always defined the problem as a 'bilateral' one. We are a voice to you; you have been a support to us. Together we build journalism that is independent, credible and fearless. You can further help us by making a donation. At least a dozen people were injured last year in clashes over an Indian dam that the Kathmandu Post reported will inundate parts of Nepal when completed.
Hydrologists and disaster experts in Nepal claim that recent floods have been worsened by significant illegal mining of the low Churia hills for boulders and sand, for use in the rapidly expanding construction sector in India.
India and China signed a deal in to share hydrological information on the huge rivers that run through both their territories, so as to cope better with annual flooding. This is not an isolated incident. In a huge flood in northwestern India, called the Himalayan tsunami , killed around 6, people and affected millions more. Nepali officials, in turn, responded that China is in a better position to share information about climatic conditions on that part of the Himalayas.
Studies conducted later concluded that efficient information sharing and early warnings would have reduced the resulting damage.
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