CM Nitish Kumar’s sops worth Rs 64 crore for flood-prone Kosi region

PATNA: Chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar on Saturday said he would do whatever possible for overall development of Kosi region in north Bihar.
Addressing a public meeting on the premises of Jagdeo Salauta High School at Bariyarva village under Madhepur block in Madhubani district after laying foundation stones for seven schemes worth Rs 64.43 crore under the Western Kosi Canal Project, Nitish said necessary steps were being taken to protect the people living between the western Kosi embankment and Kosi river from the recurring floods.
He said the Sikrahta-Manjhari lower embankment was being extended by another 4.6km from Parsauni to Mahisa village. “Bituminous road will also be built on the embankment for convenience of the local people,” the CM added.
“The existing gaps in the Chikna sub-distributary, Dumariyahi sub-distributary, Jhanjharpur branch canal, Ugranath branch canal, Kakerghati branch canal and Kings canal will be filled,” an official of water resources department said.
The CM also said the left embankment of Bhutahi Balan river would be extended by another 6.6km up to the Ghoghardiha-Nirmali link road. Thanks to this extension, the residents of 56 villages of Ghoghardiha and Phulparas blocks would be protected from the flash floods caused by Bhutahi Balan river.
State’s water resources department (WRD) minister Sanjay Kumar Jha, disaster management department minister Lakshmeshwar Rai, Jhanjharpur MP Rampreet Mandal, Phulparas MLA Guljar Devi, Rajnagar MLA Rampreet Paswan, former MP Mangani Lal Mandal and WRD secretary Sanjeev Kumar Hans also addressed the public meeting.