Gandak River
– Photo : Amar Ujala
Expansion
The river is in spate due to heavy rains in Nepal and discharge of 4.5 lakh cusecs of water from Valmikinagar Barrage into the Gandak river. The road leading to the district headquarters in Gausia Panchayat of Majha block has broken and water has started flowing. The people of this Panchayat will have to face a lot of problems in coming to the district headquarters.
Let us tell you that on Sunday, the water of the Gandak river started spreading rapidly in the low-lying areas. The low-lying areas got submerged as the water of the Gandak river spread towards the populated villages. As night fell, government schools, Anganwadi centres, temples and mosques all started submerging. As a precaution, all the affected government schools in the area will have to be closed on Monday. By Monday evening, four and a half lakh cusecs of water will reach the Gandak river. In such a situation, the water level of the river is likely to increase further.
DM Mohammad Maqsood Alam inspected the embankments of the Gandak river along with the district administration officials. The DM inspected other embankments including Sattar Ghat at night and gave many instructions to the officials. Apart from Saran embankment, there is pressure of the river at many places including Pathara Chharki, Ring Dam, Sattar Ghat Dam. At the same time, due to the rise in the water of the river, villages like Mehendia, Jagiri Tola, Kamal Chaudhary’s Tola, Ramnagar etc. of Sadar block got submerged. Water also entered the middle school, Anganwadi center, plus-two school Ramnagar in Jagiri Tola.
Let us tell you that the people of the area have started moving out with their goods and cattle to go to safer places. However, the administration has not provided any help to the victims in this area. According to the officials of the Water Resources Department, the water level of the Gandak river had crossed four lakh 40 thousand cusecs in the morning. But at five in the evening, this water level decreased to three lakh 88 thousand. Officials have expressed hope that the water level will decrease from Monday onwards.
At the same time, the pressure of Gandak river water on Saran main embankment and Jamindari dam in Baikunthpur block of the district has started from Sunday. Water pressure is still there on Munja D spur and Matiyari I spur. At Salempur turning point also, the stream of Gandak river is hitting the banks of the embankment. Engineers of the Water Resources Department are camping at the place of treatment. Zonal Officer Gautam Kumar Singh was appealing to the people living in the coastal areas of Gandak river to go to a safe place. Publicity is being done through mike from Dumriyaghat of Baikunthpur to Asha Khaira, so that people go to a safe place before the water level rises. Preparations are also underway to start community kitchens at the Panchayat level. The site has been selected for this.
Block Development Officer Ashok Kumar said that the current of the Gandak river has taken a violent form. The stairs of the Narayani River Front at Dumriyaghat are getting submerged due to the rising current of the Gandak river. People are being appealed to move to a safe place with their goods and cattle so that no panic arises when the water level rises. The BDO said that arrangements for boats have been started in the area. As per the requirement, the NDRF team will also be called.