India to discuss building dams with Nepal

New Delhi, May 25 (IANS) Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid Wednesday said India will hold discussions with Nepal to build check dams in the neighbouring country to address the problem of flooding in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

‘In next few days, we will hold discussions with our counterparts in Nepal to address the immediate concerns of floods in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh,’ Khurshid told reporters here.

The minister said that only immediate concerns will be taken up in the meetings for now, as long term measures can be addressed only when enough storage dams are built in Nepal to control flooding of rivers in the down stream area.

‘There are not enough check dams in Nepal. The common perception is that water has been released from dams, but mostly the rain water flows directly into rivers causing floods inIndia,’ he said.

Khurshid said the issue of building more dams could not be pursued in the recent years because of political instability in the Himalayan nation.

The minister added that the India’s water resources secretary will take up the issue with the Nepal government soon.

‘We are also taking help from the ministry of external affairs. Secretary, water resources, will travel to Nepal and take up the long term issues soon,’ he said.

Parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are flooded during the monsoon season every year as water flows in from Nepal unchecked.