FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN BIHAR

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

“THE HAPPINESS OF THE DROP IS TO DIE IN THE RIVER.”

[AL GAZZALI QUOTES]

THE CALAMITY

IN 2006 ,

•457 VILLAGES AND 13

DISTRICTS AFFECTED

•TOTAL CROP AREA DAMAGED

WAS 75000 HA

•AROUND 5000 HOUSES DAMAGED

CAUSES:

•FLAT TERRAIN.

•NON-UNIFORM RAINFALL.

•SEEPAGE FROM EMBANKMENT.

•LACK OF INTEGRATED SYSTEM.

•LACK OF EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.

PROBLEM:

•17% flood prone area.

•23% flood affected

population.

•30 out of 37 districts

flood prone.

•9410 sq. km waterlogged.

IMPLICATIONS:

•LOSS OF CROPS,

LIVESTOCK

AND AGRI ASSETS.

•NO SET PATTERN OF CROPPING.

•LOSS OF LIVELIHOOD.

•MASS MIGRATION.

•SOCIAL DISORDER.

THE PREVAILING FLOOD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN BIHAR

THE POLICY AND PRACTICE OF EMBANKMENTS

•EMBANKMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVERS

•EMBANKMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE TRIBUTARIES

•EMBANKMENTS ARE RAISED, REPAIRED AND STRENGTHENED EVERY TIME THE FLOODS COME

•FLOODS ARE NOT CAUSED DUE TO BROKEN EMBANKMENTS ONLY

•THE EMBANKMENTS THEMSELVES HAVE AN INTERESTING ROLE IN THE PROCESS

EMBANKMENTS:

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE •THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT LEFT THE RIVERS LARGELY UNTOUCHED

•THE LOCAL ZAMINDARS MADE SOME EMBANKMENTS

•HEAVY EMBANKMENT SINCE 1953

•3500 KM OF EMBANKMENTS IN THE STATE AT A COST OF 7.5 BILLION RUPEES

BANE OR BOON?•SILTING OF RIVERBEDS AND PROBLEMS WITH THE TRIBUTARIES

•WATER LOGGING FOR A LONGER DURATION, PROLONGED FLOODS

•LOSS TO SOIL FERTILITY, IMPOVERISHMENT

•NO PARTICIPATION, TOP DOWN APPROACH

•FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY AND LOSS OF TRADITIONAL WISDOM

•RECURRING EXPENDITURE

•CONFLICTS

From ‘Worshippers of Floods’

to

‘Victims of Floods’

Ael Balan ta banhaloun dalaan;

gel balan ta tutale dalaan

NEED OF THE HOUR

•Community

participation

•New Techniques

•Use of Indigenous methods

•Flood Forecasting

GIS based

Flood Analysis

Tool Box

1.Flood damage curve

2.Damage amount vs. Flood depth

3.Successfully used in Kosi river basin

BARH MUKTI ABHIYAN:

•Established in 1991 by Sri Dinesh Kumar Mishra

•Debate on flood

•Explode the myth that flood can be managed

by Embankments and Large Dams only

• Involve Politicians, Bureaucrats, Engineers,

Concerned citizens & the Common People

•Documenting the People’s Perception about

the River Valley Projects in Bihar ,Jharkhand &

Other States

Pag pag pokhar paan, makhan; tab dekhiau Mithilla kai saan

SOURCES AND REFERENCES:

The following books written/edited by SRI DINESH KUMAR MISHRA and published by Barh Mukti Abhiyan:

-Working Report on Conference held on 1-3 July, 1992 - Report on Seminar on River Crises in South Asia - Proceedings of the Third Delegates Conference, BMA - Proceedings of the Consultation on the Report of the World Commission on Dams, 1-7 August, 2001 -Story of A Ghost River and Engineering Witchcraft -Stagnating Pools and the Gandak Command -Nirmali Conference of Flood Sufferers -Noose around the Mahananda -Thus Comes the Floods -Floods Despite Dams • DISPUTES OVER THE GANGA [PANOS INSTT. SOUTH ASIA]• UNDP REPORT, DT. 18 SEP. 2006• Conversation with and guidance of Sri Dinesh Kumar

Mishra

• THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES:

• www.gisdevelopment.net

• www.countercurrents.org

• www.himalmag.com

• www.dhigroup.com

• www.wii.gov.in

• www.infochangeindia.org

THANK YOU

ABHISHEK LAHIRI

MURLI MANOHAR

SHYAM DAYAL SINGH

GROUP- 4