Indian project likely to sink Nepali villages

Indian project likely to sink Nepali villages

Kantipur Report

SUNSARI, June 13 - The Bihar state government of India is planning to build another barrage across the Saptakoshi River in Dagmara. The state government has not bothered to take Nepal into confidence in all this. Bordering Nepali settlements in Saptari and adjoining districts might be inundated if Bihar builds the infrastructure in Dagmara, which is 7.5 km from the Nepali territory.

India is also planning to build a 126-MW Dagmara Hydro Electricity plant by diverting Koshi waters, a source said. This will greatly reduce the flow of water towards the western embankment built across the Koshi, it said.

The central government of India has already prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Dagmara project, the source added.

The Asian Development Bank is chipping in for the barrage project. During his visit to the Koshi barrage this week, Bihar's Minister for Water Resources, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, said the deck had been cleared for the Dagmara plant.

Responding to concerns that the project could inundate Nepali territory, Yadav said, "India has supported Nepal financially and technically for the management of Koshi river basin," adding, "Nepal only seeks advantages. Sometimes it should also accept losses caused by projects."

According to Dev Narayan Yadav, chairperson of the Koshi Flood Victims Society, Nepali settlements are likely to go under water if the barrage project sees the light of the day.

Posted on: 2009-06-13 09:16:57 (Server Time)

source:

http://www.ekantipur.com/kolnews.php?&nid=199057