Pawan Kumar Bansal, the Indian Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources, who headed the Indian delegation said that although it was a difficult task to revert the river back to barrage, all repair and maintenance works along the embankment and spurs were accomplished on time.
Addressing a joint press conference on Sunday, Bansal said, "The Bihar [state] government had assured that all the works were completed within the stipulated time, but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wanted me to personally make this visit to check if all works were completed in Koshi as both sides suffered heavy loss of lives and property last year."
He, however, added that although the team has come back with satisfactory results, "There has to be continuous surveillance and joint-patrolling along the embankment."
Referring to his meeting with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Saturday, Bansal said the two sides spoke on the immense potential Nepal has in hydropower sector. "It is not only Koshi, India is eager to develop dams and multi-purpose projects in other rivers as well," he stressed. In this regard, he said that the two sides will work on strengthening the mechanisms that are already in place. The Joint-Committee on Water Resources (JCWR) is scheduled to hold talks in September in Pokhara.
Responding to a query, Minister Bansal said that discussions are on to find long-term solutions of the flood problems caused by Kosi river. For this he said, "Survey is on to build 269 meter high dam in Koshi to generate 3000 MW of electricity."
On the occasion, Bal Krishna Khand, the Minister for Energy, congratulated the Indian side for completing the 1700 meter long embankment work strengthened by 150 meter long spurs. "With the completion of the work, the political commitments have been transformed into reality and the relation between the two countries has been reinforced," Khand said, adding, "Nepal´s trust on India, which was almost shattered by the Koshi incident last year, has now been restored."
Minister Khand also said that the Government of India is also providing assistance to Nepal for strengthening of existing embankments and construction of new along Kamala, Bagmati, Lalbakeya, Sunsari, Trijuga, Lakhadehi and Kankai rivers. A joint press statement released Sunday said that India has provided a total assistance of NRs 664 million till date on these projects.
On the Koshi breach closure works, the joint statement said that the two sides have agreed to conduct round-the-clock patrolling of the embankments during the rainy season for any emergent repair works and Nepali side assured necessary security. India allocated NRs 2288 million for the breach works and NRs 320 million towards immediate relief to the Koshi flood victims in Nepal.
The team also visited Koshi barrage. The firm which had initially fabricated and installed the gates has commenced repair of the gate no. 12, which was damaged a few days back. India has approved a scheme for automation of barrage gate operation, repair of launching aprons and construction of upstream and downstream pilot channels at a cost of NRs 1363 million.
It is also mentioned in the statement that India is providing assistance in other areas relating to water resources, including Rahughat hydro-electric project (HEP), rehabilitation of Devighat HEP, cross-border transmission line and shallow tube wells. India has agreed to rebuild segments of East-West Highway damaged by the Koshi floods for which a detailed project report has been completed.
The Indian delegation also included Minister of State for Water Resources Vincent Pala, and Secretary U N Panjiar. Besides, the inspection team was accompanied by Birendra Prasad Yadav of Government of Bihar, Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood and MoE Secretary Umakant Jha, and other senior officials from India and Nepal.
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