Bihar government evolves strategy to fight flood fury

Patna, Sep 20 (UNI) Bihar government has prepared an array of long and short term measures to check floods, including high level dams and interlinking of rivers in the state.

State Water Resources department secretary A K Sinha today told newspersons that interlinking of rivers would prove to be an effective solution to flood fury besides providing irrigation facilties to a large chunk of villagers.

Informing about the details of the interlinking of rivers, he said that detailed project report of Kohara-Chandravat, Burhi Gandak-Noon-Baya-Ganga, Bagmati-Burhi Gandak and Koshi Ganga links would be prepared. The state government had urged the Centre for financial assistance for the project.

''State government had urged the Centre to provide financial assistance of Rs 14,146 crore for interlinking rivers and desilting projects,'' he added.

Mr Sinha, however, admitted that interlinking of rivers for checking of floods was not a time-tested solution but still it could be helpful.

UNI