'Indo-Nepal talks on to mitigate devastation caused by floods'

NEW DELHI: Some rivers flowing from Nepal into India cause heavy flood and soil erosion in eastern Uttar Pradesh and north Bihar, and discussions between the two countries are going on to mitigate devastation caused by the floods, the government today said.

In her reply to a question in Lok Sabha today, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati said that India is aware that some of the rivers flowing from Nepal into India cause heavy flood and soil erosion in eastern Uttar Pradesh and north Bihar.

Both the governments of India and Nepal have a continuous dialogue for development of water resources of common rivers for mutual benefits, she added.

"The discussions inter alia include issues related to flood management and mitigation of devastation caused by the floods," the minister said.

Responding to another question, she said, an Indo-Nepal Pancheshwar Development Authority (PDA) has been set up for expediting completion of detailed project report (DPR) of Pancheshwar Multipurpose project on river Mahakai (Sarada in India) and implementation of Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project.