Bihar News : Bihar’s flood situation remains under control despite rising water levels in the Ganga and several other rivers, Deputy Chief Minister and Water Resources Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said on Monday. He said continuous monitoring by the Water Resources Department and district administrations has helped keep the situation under control, with further improvement expected over the next one to two days.
Speaking to reporters at the Water Resources Department auditorium at Sinchai Bhawan on Monday evening, Chaudhary said the state is going through the flood season and the days remain challenging. However, the administration and department officials are keeping a close watch on the situation.
Ganga Records Highest Water Level of the Year
Chaudhary said this year’s flood situation is somewhat different because of a significant rise in the discharge of the Ganga. At Gandhi Ghat, the river reached 50.58 metres, its highest water level recorded so far this year, surpassing the previous high of 50.52 metres recorded in 2016.
He said the continued rise in the Ganga’s water level and its prolonged stay at a high level have resulted in a backwater effect at several places. As water from rivers joining the Ganga is unable to drain smoothly, water levels have risen in the lower stretches of the Gandak, Punpun and several other rivers.
Damaged Marginal Embankment Made Safe
The Deputy Chief Minister said the Kajikoraiya-Raghopur marginal embankment constructed along the Ganga in Kharik block of Bhagalpur district was recently damaged. Water Resources Department officials and engineers carried out continuous protective work at the site, preventing the spread of water into populated areas.
He said the affected location is currently safe.
Chaudhary said the water level of the Ganga is expected to gradually decline. The Water Resources Department is carrying out round-the-clock monitoring of embankments and sensitive locations across the state.
Flood Fighting Underway at 171 Locations
The minister said that despite extremely high water discharge and elevated water levels in the Ganga and other rivers during the past week, the Water Resources Department has carried out flood-fighting operations at 171 locations to protect embankments.
Of these, 14 locations faced leakage or damage to embankments. Repair work at 11 locations has already been completed within the shortest possible time, while work at the remaining three locations is continuing on a war footing.
Chaudhary said the state has received the highest water discharge recorded so far this year, yet the situation remains under control. Department officials and engineers are continuously monitoring embankments and vulnerable locations.
He said the administration’s priority is to keep the embankments secure and ensure the safety of people living in potentially vulnerable areas. He expressed confidence that the water-level situation would improve further over the next one to two days.
