India, Nepal agree to strengthen river banks to avoid floods

NEW DELHI: India and Nepal have agreed to strengthen the embankments of Bagmati, Kamla, Lalbakeya and Khando rivers to control the spilling of flood water of these rivers which often causes flood in Bihar.

"Both the countries have already agreed to strengthen embankments of Bagmati, Kamla, Lalbakeya and Khando rivers and extend the embankments along these rivers to higher ground in Nepal to control spilling of flood water," Water Resources Minister Harish Rawat said in Rajya Sabha today.

To a supplementary during Question Hour, he said the flood protection work on Gandak and Kosi projects in Nepal were already being maintained by the Indian side.

He said the Indian government hold regular dialogue and negotiations with Nepal through various bilateral mechanisms on matters relating to flooding in Bihar.

An Indo-Nepal Joint Ministerial Commission on Water Resources (JMCWR) has been set up by both the countries which is headed by Ministers of Water Resources from the two sides.

The first meeting of the JMCWR was held in February, 2012 in which various issues related to water resources sector were discussed.

"The bilateral committees also meet regularly to address the issues about implementations of these works," he said.