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Man-made floods in Nepal
By KTM Metro Reporter in Kathmandu
On August 26, 2008, a high-level team comprising Defense Minister Badal, Physical Planning and Works Minister Gacchedar, Secretary to Home Ministry, Chief of Nepal Police and Chief of Armed Police Force took the Nepali Army helicopter and inspected the flood-hit areas in eastern Nepal. They also formed a high-level committee to provide relief to the flood victims integrating all the relief work to be undertaken by the different agencies of the Government of Nepal, and to take measures to stop such floods in the future.
The Indian media have reported that more than two million Indians have been affected by the floods caused by the break-up of the check-dams made in the Koshi river system. The Nepalese-relief workers have said that more than two hundred thousands Indians displaced by the floods caused by the break-up of the Koshi check-dams have entered into the Nepalese territory for shelter. They have been provided with food, water and shelter on a humanitarian basis.
In 1954, the then Prime Minister of Nepal Matrika Prasad Koirala half brother of former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala signed an agreement with the then Government of India headed by Jawaharlal Nehru on the building of a dam on the Koshi river system. The Indian Government built a large dam right on the border between Nepal and India submerging large areas of Nepal for irrigating the Indian lands, and then check-dams to conserve water. Maintaining and repairing check-dams were the responsibility of the Government of India following the agreement. According to the Nepalese media, the Government of India has not done the repair works despite the repeated warnings by the Nepalese local authorities of the possible break-up of the check-dams and then the floods in Nepal and India. However, the Indian Government has tried to justify the reason for not doing the repair works in time stating that the Nepalese officials have not cooperated with them to repair the check-dams. The Government of India not being serious to repair the so large check-dams has let happen the man-made floods displacing millions of Nepalis and Indians living in both in Nepal and India.
