BARA, June 22: As the monsoon progresses, the construction of embankments has gathered pace in Bara district in order to prevent floods in the rivers and streams from entering settlements and damaging arable land. Every year during monsoon, locals residing in settlements near rivers and streams are forced to go through a great ordeal as floods cause great damage to their property, at times even leading to human causalities.

The floods also deposit huge amount of sand on their farms, affecting the fertility of the arable land on which their livelihood largely depends.With the objective of minimizing such losses, local units and office of Water-induced Disaster and River Control Division number 3, Parwanipur, are spearheading speedy construction of embankments along the rivers before floods could cause any substantial damage.The division said they are currently prioritizing the construction of embankments along various rivers of the district. The office informed that embankment construction is ongoing in around half a dozen rivers and streams of the district.“We have focused on those rivers that are especially prone to big floods,” said Pandav Prasad Dev, an engineer of the division office, Parwanipur.

Embankments are being constructed at Bhramhapuri, Bangari River of Kalaiya sub metropolis-17, Bagwan Pasaha River of ward 14, Bhodaha Pasaha River of ward 21, among other rivers, he added. “The budget of Rs 35 million was allocated for the purpose.

The construction work has reached the final stage now.”Last year, devastating floods in the local Pasaha River had inundated wards 21, 22, 15, 14 among other settlements of Kalaiya. It also deposited sand on hundreds of bighas of arable land, according to the sub-metropolis.“We recently completed constructing embankment to prevent devastating floods from Pasaha River. Budgets from ward 14 and 15 were also utilized for the construction,” said Rajesh Raya Yadav, chief of Kalaiya sub metropolis.

“Now we expect that the construction would save over dozen settlements from floods this monsoon.”The previous embankment along the Pasaha River was destroyed, leading to inundation in many settlements last year. Ward 21 Chairperson Pundev Rauniyar recalled that they were not able to plant anything in their farms due to large deposit of sands brought by the floods.

 
• embankment
 
• construction
 
• gathers
 
• pace
 
• monsoon
 
• advances