Floods in Bihar, Could the calamity have been avoided.
The river flows at its own sweet will, but the flood is bound in the two banks. If it were not thus bound, its freedom would be wasted. - Vinoba Bhave
A great flow of water; a body of moving water; the flowing stream, as of a river; especially, a body of water, rising, swelling, and overflowing land not usually thus covered; a deluge; a freshet; an inundation this is what flood is all about and who can know better than the people of Bihar.Flood in Bihar was not a natural calamity but a man made disaster. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that it is a National calamity. But this type of national calamity will continue till man will not stop to interfer in the environment. Man has started playing with his own lives.The devastating floods in Bihar, caused by a breach in the Kosi barrage, have left many dead and more than 3 million displaced. Bihar has been suffering from flood from past many years. 'Sorrow of Bihar', Kosi river has devastated 16 districts of the state which include 500 villages in which more than 30 lakhs people have been affected by the floods and around a hundred lives have been lost in the water.
The reason behind the floods in Bihar was firstly, due to breach on Kosi river barrage on the Indo - Nepal border. Secondlly, the calamity is also the result of negligent attitude of the Central and state government. Thirdly, in 1956, the Kosi barrage came into being after a bilateral agreement between India and Nepal and negligence by Nepal towards maintenance of the Kosi barrage, which was breached two weeks back. Fourthly, over the last 250 years, the Kosi River has shifted its course over 120 kilometres (75 mi) from east to west and the unstable nature of the river is attributed to the heavy silt which it carries during the monsoon season. Lastly, but the most imporatnt is the human hand behind the devastating floods in Bihar. Every day environmentalist are protesting on the issue of dam construction on river banks. The interfrence of man in the ecological balance of environment is the main cause of floods.
This national calamity could be avoided if the state government or the Centre showed any interest in constructing a new barrage or renovating the old one. The barrage completed its estimated lifespan of 30 years way back in 1986. Since then, 22 years have passed no step were taken to repair it. Knowing the flood prone history of Bihar the Disaster Management Commission headed by Prime Minister set up in 2015 paid no attention in this direction. Prime Minister gave Rs. 1000 crore for relief fund but half of this money was spent for renovating the dam the common man would not have suffer from this national calamity. The unfloding tragedy in Bihar would have not taken place if administration was alert. A common man can only hope that this type of national calamity would not take place any more.
Harshita Mittal
