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
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