THIRA L BHUSAL
The diversion of Koshi river into Koshi barrage through a channel being excavated along its previous course will be completed by Dec. 15. Koshi breached its embankment at West Kushaha in Sunsari district on Aug. 18 and travelled eastward, affecting more than 60,000 people in Nepal and 3.2 million in the Indian state of Bihar.
High level Indian officials visiting Nepal after inspection of Koshi areas assured Nepali officials that Koshi water would be redirected to its previous course by Dec. 15.
Workers from a construction company deployed by the Indian government have been excavating a channel to re-route Koshi to its previous course. The Indian government on Nov. 2 reached an agreement with the company in this connection. The company had been given 45 days with effect from the agreement date to complete the work.
Starting Wednesday, the Indian team led by Chairman of Central Water Commission of India A.K. Bajaj was on a two-day field visit to areas affected by Koshi flooding. Senior officials and experts from the Ministry of Water Resources of Nepal had accompanied them during the visit. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood also accompanied the team.
Nepali officials had requested the Indian side to speed up repair and construction work. In response, the Indian officials said that they would speed up the work in about a fortnight's time when the water level in the river will subside significantly, according to Shital Babu Regmee,Joint Secretary at the Ministry. Regmee was also part of the inspection team.
"The Indian side expects the water level to subside to around 10,000 cusecs [one cubic foot per second] in the river in a couple of weeks," Regmee said.
After diverting the water toward the barrage, the Indian team will begin plugging the breached portion of the embankment. The work is expected to be completed by March end.
Indian officials said repair of the breached embankment was planned for March as the discharge in Koshi is at its lowest level during that month.
The primary objective of the visit of the high-level Indian officials is to chart out long-term remedial measures to avert the perennial problem "although the Indian team will come up with the long- term solutions only after analysing the data collected during the visit" said Regmee.
THE KATHMANDU POST
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