Ir is true that floods have been a fact from time immemorial in the Gangetic and Bahmaputra valley, not merely in Bihar. However, in recent decades they have become a problem that they were not in the past because of their intensity caused by deforestation not merely in Nepal but also in India. The level of the Ganga has risen by about 8 metres in the last 50 years. Climate change caused by environmental degradation has resulted in the melting of the glaciers. Because of deforestation the earth does not absorb rain water in the same manner as it used to do in the past.
When floods were a regular annual occurrence they were not merely a problem but also a blessing. In Assam, for example, the floods used to bring nutrients because of which the crop which the people used to plant after the floods used to be very good. Today they have become more intense than the past and all the advantages have disappeared. The damage is greater and have become only a curse. That is where we need to find new answers to them Walter Fernandes Dr Walter Fernandes Director, North Eastern Social Research Centre 110 Kharghuli Road (1st floor) Guwahati 781004 Assam, India Tel (91-361) 2602819 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/NESRC ----- Original Message ----- From: Girish Mishra To: [email protected] Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 4:37 PM Subject: Re: Prime Minister to visit flood affected districts of Bihar Floods have been a regular feature in North Bihar since time immemorial. With deforestation in Nepal and the lack of strong embankments, the fury has increased. The Government of Bihar has failed to evolved a reliable strategy to control floods. The people in power have only been interested in extracting money from both the Central and State governments in the name of relief in order to enrich themselves. Wherever there are are embankments, they are not properly maintained nor is the rising levels of rivers monitored and actions taken accordingly. India must collaborate with Nepal to evolve a joint long-term strategy to prevent floods whether in Kosi, Baghmati, Gandak or other rivers. Every year after flood waters recede the State government goes into a deep slumber. Girish Mishra > '); document.write(''); document.write(''); > document.write(''); document.write(''); //--> > > New Delhi, Aug 27, 2008: Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is all > sit to visit flood ravaged districts of Bihar. Kosi a river that flows in > the Indian state of Bihar from Nepal has threatened several million people > living in half a dozen districts of the poor north Indian state. > > Around 45 people have already been killed in surging flood waters that > have already flooded hundreds of villages in districts bordering Nepal. > > More than a million people have already been affected by the flood that is > threatening to take a magnitude seen never before. > > The state chief minister Nitish Kumar has pushed the panic button and has > asked people living in the affected districts to vacate the whole area. > His government that mostly runs on central government handouts does not > have the means to evacuate several million population. > > The chief minister is already talking of keeping the affected people in > relief camps for the next eight to nine months. > > "'Keeping ten lakh people in relief camps for eight-nine months would be a > challenge", said Nitish Kumar. > > This is the worst flood in Bihar's history. Millions of people are on the > verge of being displaced from their lands, with hundreds of thousands > fearing never to be able to return to the lands where they have spent > their lifetime. > > Kosi river has played havoc with the people of Bihar on a proportion never > ever thought possible. Around 45 people have already been killed in > surging flood that threaten to submerge four districts of the Bihar state > near Indo-Nepal border. > > The state government that has been sleeping over the mammoth tragedy is > slowly coming to terms with the magnitude of the problem. > > Finally it seems that Kosi river that is nicknamed 'Ssorrow of Bihar' has > brought them out of their deep slumber. But a lot of damage has already > been done. > > The river Kosi picked up a channel it had abandoned over 200 years ago > almost a week ago. The river has broken its embankment drowning towns and > villages and affecting several million people. > > Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan > Sing to seek his help in dealing with the catastrophe caused by floods > after the river Koshi suddenly changed its course in neighbouring Nepal. > > Former chief minister of the state and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav > who also met Manmohan Singh later said, "Three helicopters are already air > dropping food materials but it will not make much difference. More and > more Air Force helicopters should be pressed into crisis management and > more boats to rescue those who are trapped and taken to safe area if we > rely on the State government assistance we will be responsible for the > death of thousands more to be killed in this flood". > > Nitish Kumar said that calling the tragedy a flood will be an > understatement. He added, "Flood is understatement, it is a disaster. Our > top priority is to evacuate people and bring them to the safer places". > > In the meantime local people are devastated. They say that they are not > getting any help from administration. Muhammad Naushad who lives near > Araria city said that he had to pay boatmen around Rs 5000 for the > evacuation of his family of 7 members. He said that his house is under > water and he is not sure how much of his house would be left when the > water recedes. > > Chief Minister while talking to the reporters said, "Nearly 25 lakh people > are waging a grim battle against the floods which have assumed proportions > of a catastrophe. The nature is putting my government to test once again, > but we will succeed". > > But despite his tall claims of his government reaching out to victims, the > condition on the ground is pathetic to say the least. > > The floods have affected 15 districts - Muzaffarpur, Patna, Katihar, > Nalanda, West Champaran, Khagaria Sheikhpura, Purnia, Saran, Begusarai, > Bhagalpur, Supaul, Saharsa, Madhepura and Araria. > > > Bihar Group > E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://yahoogroups.com/group/Bihar-Network > > > > >
