Drowned in Disaster

I am sure that most of you readers, by now must have fathomed the insinuation that the title itself evokes. Yes, you are quite right in believing that the following write up is going to be a window into the unsettling, grim and catastrophic situation which has befallen Bihar recently and continues to torment her. The bandying around of Bihar Floods, the appropriate branding of the catastrophe as ‘National Calamity’ by our venerated Prime Minister and the footage it is receiving both in print as well as visual media might give you a first hand impression that the floods in Bihar are not frequent however the bitter truth remains that Bihar has been suffering from the fury of River Kosi perennially. Every year like an inevitable law of the nature, the northern part of Bihar comprising of 24 districts, home to 20 million people, is first inundated and eventually washed away by the rampant rage of Kosi. As a result, thousands of people die, millions become homeless and infrastructure worth billions is ruined. By the time people rehabilitate and overcome the trauma the next year, the floods come raging as their nemesis again. But then, the devastation this year is unprecedented in the last 50 years. It is estimated that approximately 2.5 million people have been rendered homeless, 100 people have already lost their lives and many are still to loose their lives due to the epidemic which will be ensued. (Data: courtesy of Relief and Rehabilitation Dept. Bihar) Although the Central and State Government may try to hide their ineptitude in dealing with the flood and try to assuage the calamity by sanctioning a 10 billion relief fund or deploying the army executing any other such hastily conceived relief plan or the film industry might come together to offer shows in order to raise money for the hapless destitute of Bihar or may be out of the blue a philanthropist may announce a handsome largesse for the cause but the loss will ever be irredeemable. It would take ages to heal the wounds the disaster has left behind and even more time for the state to resume to normalcy. Now a question would probably arise in all the inquisitive minds “Why does the flood occur every year in the first place and what steps does the government take to preclude it?” The answer lies below.

Northern Bihar is a playfield of eight main rivers including Kosi, Gandak etc. Most of these rivers have their catchment area and origin as well in Nepal. The Kosi River which can be primarily reproached for the deluge meanders all the way from the highlands in Nepal to lowlands in Bihar. As water flows from a region of highland to a region of lowland, whenever there is excess water in the river due to persistent rainfall, the flow of water increases manifolds and if the water is not checked in the highland that is Nepal, it brings disaster with it to Northern Bihar in the form of flood. After the cataclysmic flood of 1953, the Indian Government after a lot of deliberations came up with a Kosi Project wherein a barrage, a host of embankments and a dam was proposed to tame the ferocious river. Although, the first two parts of the plan were implemented successfully, the third part which would have played an instrumental role in taming the river was abandoned which was seemingly due to its cost ineffectiveness. Instead, the government resorted to the obsolete technology of building embankments to tame such a belligerent river as Kosi. Since then, a vicious circle of breach-disaster-repair has followed. The best solution here appears to be a possible construction of a dam and since both India and Nepal have been plagued by the rampage of Kosi, a dam construction in conjunction will be a win-win situation for both the nations. While the devastating floods will be kept at bay by the dam, the immense water flow can be harnessed for electricity production at the same time. Furthermore, the political climate in Nepal after the abdication of the King is too opportune to initiate a new constructive dialogue with Kathmandu on such a vital issue.

At last, I would appeal to each one of you to come forward and hold the hands of the calamity stricken people who are in a dire need of our support. Let us come together as a nation and stand by Bihar in this hour of need. I would strongly urge you all to donate as generously as you can so that all of us together can bail out all the needy people from the morass of helplessness and help Bihar overcome this tragedy soon.

Desert Rose
9th September, 2008
Stockholm, Sweden