The parliament´s Natural Resources and Means Committee issued the instruction to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Ministry of Energy and to the Ministry of Irrigation after a visit to the areas ravaged last year by the Koshi River.
The committee deemed it necessary to upgrade and blacktop the 40 km road stretch extending from Koshi Barrage to Chatara canal. The committee made the recommendations saying that easy access to the Koshi River areas can avert disasters like that occurred last year in West Kushaha.
The Indian government, which is responsible for operation of the barrage and maintenance of 32-kilometer embankment, has frequently raised this issue with the government of Nepal.
The committee directed the three ministries to reinforce and blacktop the road saying that it is necessary to frequently travel to the areas for inspection, maintenance and to transport construction materials along the embankment.
"The committee issues directives to the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation and the Ministry of Defense to make arrangements for trouble-free movement of vehicles as the Indian side needs frequent visits to the areas for inspection, protection and maintenance works in the 32 km embankment stretch," said the report prepared by visiting team.
Environmentalists and some activists have objected to the idea of constructing concrete road saying that the area falls under the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, which is the only habitat of wild buffaloes in the country and a major shelter for migratory and several other endangered species of birds.
"Making a metaled road and blacktopping has become essential there. But, the government has to take the consent of the reserve and the defense ministry because their concerns regarding the endangered species in the area are genuine," said Nepali Congress leader Laxman Ghimire, a member of the visiting team.
Uday Raj Sharma, secretary at the Ministry of Forests, said that the ministry has no objection to upgrading and blacktopping the road. "Our concern is only about its width. The committee has suggested to widen the road to seven meters but we have requested them not to widen it more than six meters," Sharma told Republica. The existing road is about four-meter wide.
Minister for Irrigation Bal Krishna Khand in a meeting of the committee said upgrading the road is essential. According to him, the government of India is ready to undertake the responsibility and is waiting for nod from the Nepali side.
Government corrects previous government´s decision
The committee also instructed the government to correct the previous government´s decision to shift the boundary of Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve to one kilometer inside the reserve.
The government in a recent cabinet meeting corrected the decision following the committee´s directive. The committee had grilled the home secretary and other officials over the issue as the previous government took the decision as per recommendation of the home ministry.
On Koshi breach
The committee has said lack of coordination between the government of Nepal and the Indian side was one of the major reasons for last year´s Koshi breach. The committee in its report has recommended establishing a direct coordination mechanism between the water resources ministers of the two countries.
"The Indian side has to provide the designs and estimates of repair works to the Nepal government so that Nepal can monitor the works," it said.
The committee has advised the government to stop making political appointment of the liaison officer and arrange a permanent liaison office for effective coordination between the two countries.
Likewise, the committee has said the Koshi barrage and embankment has to be reconstructed with a new plan.
thira@myrepublica.com
Related story
Road blacktop comes off in two weeks of construction
