Bihar villagers build bund to block floodwaters

Bandhar (Samastipur District) Bihar, July 9 : Demonstrating the proverb-God helps those who help themselves--villagers of a district in Bihar have constructed a dam to prevent floodwaters from devastating their village. They were saddened by government authorities and red-tapism.

Located in the midst of Hathori Trimuhaani dam in Samastipur District of Bihar, Bandhar Village has been at the receiving end of the Nature's wrath since 2004.

Villagers were hoping that the Government would act but all in vain. And, they decided to help themselves after all pleas to the Government authorities seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Men and women, shedding aside all barriers of caste or creed joined hands with pickaxes and other implements to toil together and save their village and agricultural lands.

"We all are Harijans and if this dam gets destructed then it will destroy the whole village. This is the reason that we are using our own implements and manpower to repair this dam leaving all other work behind because Government is not at all considering this matter," said Behari Lal Baitha, a grieving villager.

Located near the catchment area of Trimuhaani dam, Banghar Village had been facing many instances of flooding of the village from River Bhagmati. The worst floods occurred in 2004 and again in 2007.

According to the villagers, this dam was built over five decades ago and often the water from the catchment areas flooded many villages from Banghar to Hasanpur.

"We got so fed up with the Government that we started with the repair work on our own. Almost one month ago, we had sent a complaint and submitted a letter to the District Council. It was forwarded to the District Collector. But it bore no fruits and that's why we have decided not to wait further for government and instead protect ourselves on our own from destruction," said Umesh Paswan, Member of the Dalit Sena Panchayat in Banghar Village.

This bund has been constructed to avoid Bhagmati water flooding the entire village.

The District Administration, according to some reports, is still taking its time to examine the villagers' applications in its well-known way! By Tripurari

ANI