Lack of Indo-Nepal coordination led to breach in Kosi embankment

Patna, Sep 19 (UNI) The Bihar government today alleged that absence of any coordination between India and Nepal on the issue of floods during the tenure of the UPA government at the Centre since 2004 led to the circumstances causing a breach in Kosi river embankment at Kushaha in Nepal on August 18.

State Water Resources Minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav told newspersons here that during the recent visit of Nepal Prime Minister Prachanda to New Delhi, an Indo-Nepal agreement was signed to ensure revival of pre and post-monsoon meetings of coordination committees of both the countries which was in practice before 2004.

''The recent Indo-Nepal agreement was self-explanatory that no meeting of coordination committees of both the countries was held during the UPA government's regime at the Centre,'' Mr Yadav stated and asked the Centre to clarify why it failed to ensure the convening of such meetings.

''The Nepal government has assured in the agreement to provide full security cover to Indian engineers and other personnel during construction and repair work of the Kosi embankment in its territory,'' Mr Yadav said.

''It vindicates the stand of the Bihar government that Indian engineers were not being allowed by miscreants in Nepal to supervise the flood protection work on the other side of the border due to absence of security cover by Nepal police,'' he said.

''If the meeting of coordination committees of both the countries on floods were held regularly, the circumstances leading to breach of Kosi embankment could have been avoided,'' he said.

''Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, who is an influential minister in UPA government, should explain before the public why he failed to take initiative to ensure the convening of such meetings,'' the Bihar minister said and added that Mr Prasad should stop blaming the Nitish Kumar government for breach in Kosi embankment.

When asked, State Water Resources Minister said it was not the responsibility of Bihar government to ask the Centre to discharge its international obligation.

''The Centre should have taken the steps on its own to ensure that such meetings were held regularly,'' he argued.

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