New Delhi: In another proactive move, Nepal has reportedly prohibited the repair work of Gandak dam, which is carried out by Bihar government along the border.
The Nepalese authorities obstructed the flood prevention-related work by putting barriers and not allowing movement of people from across the Indian border.
Bihar government has expressed concerns that Nepal’s decision to stop repair work at Gandak Dam can lead to massive destruction in Bihar.
Bihar’s WRD Minister Sanjay Jha told reporters that Gandak Barrage has 36 gates, out of which 18 are located in Nepal and the area where the flood-fighting material is present, Nepal ha s put barriers in that area. It has never happened in the past.
Nepal authorities are not allowing repair work for Gandak dam that takes place in Lal Bakeya river in no man’s land. Also, they’ve stopped repair work at several other locations. For the first time, we’re facing such a problem in movement of people and raw material for repair work, the Bihar WRD Minister added.
The local engineers and District Magistrates of the state of Bihar are in talks with concerned Nepalise authorities and I will write a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs over the current situation with Nepal. If this issue isn’t addressed timely, then a major part of Bihar will be flooded during the rainy season, Bihar WRD Jha further said.
Recently, the new map was passed by Nepal’s National Assembly shows Indian territories such as Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura in Uttarakhand as part of Nepalese territory.
On June 13, India had reacted strongly after lower house of Nepal Parliament had passed the bill to redraw the political map of the country showing Indian territories as its own. Responding to the development, India had said that “this artificial enlargement of claims is not tenable.”
We have noted that the House of Representatives of Nepal has passed a constitution amendment bill for changing the map of Nepal to include parts of Indian territory. We have already made our position clear on this matter, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said.