Nitish Kumar conducts aerial survey to review erosion in Gopalganj

Patna, Sep 18 Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today conducted an aerial survey to take stock of the scale of erosion caused by floods in Gopalganj district.

Later, Kumar reviewed the flood situation, erosion and drought at a high-level meeting in Gopalganj, an official release said here.

The meeting was attended by state Water Resources Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Art and Culture Minister Shivchandra Ram, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and other senior officials.

During the meeting, the CM said water was receding and this may lead to erosion. He also reviewed the steps and preparedness to deal with erosion.

Meanwhile, flood situation has eased in Bihar with almost all major rivers except four flowing below danger-level, further mitigating the chance of threat of floods, the release said.

The four rivers which are still flowing above the danger mark are Punpun, Baghmati, Kamlabalan and Kosi.

Flood waters had entered a few villages of Punpun block of Patna district after seepage at its sluice gate on September 13 following heavy rains. But the seepage was blocked the same night, and flood waters stopped entering the villages, the release said, adding Punpun is witnessing a receding trend.

As per the Central Water Commission report, water level of Punpun was flowing 96 cm above the danger mark of 50.6 meters.

Baghmati is flowing 46 cm above danger mark in Benibad area of Muzaffarpur district, Kamlabalan is 63 cm above danger mark in Jhanjharpur and Kosi is flowing 85 cm above danger mark at Baltara in Khagaria district.

PTI