Farakka barrage (Express Archive) Farakka barrage (Express Archive)The Nitish Kumar government has held the Farakka barrage in West Bengal responsible for heavy floods in Bihar and asked the Centre to decommission it to de-silt the heavily loaded upstream of Ganga River. The Farakka barrage was constructed in the early 60s with the main purpose of helping flush out sediment deposition from Kolkata Port, besides addressing drinking water requirement in West Bengal. “The barrage is genesis of severe flood consequences and responsible for progressive silt increase in the upstream of Ganga between Patna and Bhagalpur (in Bihar),” the state government has told the committee, according to sources. “So the barrage is of no help…functioning of the barrage is itself giving rise to consequences of flooding,” the state has said in its submission. Bihar faced one of its worst floods as Ganga swelled in August last year, claiming lives of over 20 persons and affecting 20 lakh people.

Source: Indian Express February 19, 2017 09:00 UTC