Govt seeks IITians expertise to solve Kosi problem

PATNA: Bihar government has made a request to three experts, all IIT-Kharagpur alumni, to make their presentation here on May 4 about their cost-effective, innovative technology in breach-resistant earthen bund for river Kosi.

These experts have developed a technology which should ensure cent per cent success in preventing breaches in bunds. Since silting is a major problem with most Indian rivers, application of this technology should prove extremely useful to tame floods, said one of the experts.

The three experts are T K Choudhary, civil engineer and river management specialist, Mihir Biswas, mechanical engineer, and Somnath Ghosh, former Hod, civil engineering, IIT-Kharagpur. They are likely to make their presentation here at the water resources development department on May 4.

Mihir Biswas, an IIT-Kharagpur alumnus with considerable post-qualification experience in engineering and management fields, had approached Bihar chief secretary about breach-resistant bund for the Kosi last month. This technology is said to be cost-effective.

It may be recalled here that in 2008 there was a breach in the earthen river protection bund of river Kosi in Bihar. The breach caused devastating flood and changed the course of the river.

Since the river bed of Kosi is at a higher level than the adjoining area, construction of a breach-resistant bund is the only solution to ensure safety from periodic floods, says an expert.

The bund comprises of a suitably designed bund section, concrete walls with precast concrete materials at toes of riverside earth slopes, and protective concrete tiles meant to avoid erosion of the bund.

The composite design will effectively prevent any breach in the bund. This innovative technology was developed by T K Choudhary based on his technical paper published in the May 2006 issue of the Civil Engineering Journal of the Institution of Engineers ( India). The technology was since vetted by IIT-Kharagpur and received approval. Choudhary is an IIT alumnus and recognized river management expert.

“The technology is indigenous and labour-intensive, utilizing unskilled local labour, making execution very much cost-effective. Use of heavy equipment is minimal, effectively enabling fast execution,” said Mihir Biswas.

“The cost of one kilometre-long and two-metre high earthen bund with Breach Resistant wall (BRW) is estimated to be around Rs 1 crore,” Biswas told TOI over phone. “The cost, however, may be higher depending on adverse local conditions,” he said. “In any case, the new technology will be cheaper than other traditionally used methods,” Biswas said.

T K Choudhary got extensive experience as a senior engineer with Kolkata Port Trust in the management the Hoogly River estuary at Haldia.