157 villages in Bhojpur reeling under flood

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara/ Buxar: The Ganga and Sone continue their rising trend and inundate fresh areas daily under six blocks in Bhojpur district. Over 157 villages have been inundated so far in the district. The water level of Sone river registered an increase of 72 cm on Friday and this trend continued on Saturday. The Ganga is flowing about 1.5 metre above the danger mark in Bhojpur while after release of 3.75 cusec of water from Bansagar Dam in MP and  10 lakh cusec from Indrapuri Barrage into it Sone is also in spate.

The water level in Sone river is rising at the speed of 4cm per hour and is likely to inundate fresh areas in Koelwar, Sahar and Sandesh blocks in Bhojpur district in a day or two. The Flood Control department announced that the rising trend of these rivers will continue for some days. The department speculated if the rising trend of water continues at this speed, it may cross the highest level of 56.58 recorded in 2013. At Bindgawa confluence of Ganga, Sone and Saryu rivers, 13 new villages were inundated on Saturday. Water of river Ganga has entered 157 villages under Ara, Barhara and Shahpur blocks while danger of flood is hovering over Koelwar, Sandesh and Sahar blocks. Erosion has started on  Gaura-Bihia road due to flood and a bridge over river Ganga near Lachhu Tola in Khwaspur panchayat under Barahra block was swept away in the flood water of Ganga.

The flood water of Ganga in flowing about four feet over Barahara-Salempur, Nathmalpur-Gaziapur, Neknam Tola link road, Karaza-Bhusuhua, Farana-Bakhorapur main roads, Milki link road, roads in 18 panchayats under in Barahara block and snapped communication with the Bhojpur district headquarters, Ara. Boats are being ferried on these roads. People are forced to stay indoors or shift to safer places.

The flood has adversely paralyzed teaching work in schools as over 73 of 168 middle, Primary and upgraded middle schools under Barahara block are closed as flood water has completely submerged them.

At Ara, the water of Ganga has inundated over two dozen villages and also lower portion of the town. The flood water has entered Tari Mohalla, Uziayar Tola, Singhahi, Gausganj, Balbatara, Laxmanpur, Dhudhua, Basantpur, Mathwalia, Daulatpur, Dumara, Kadara-Basantpur, Rampurm, Bhadeya, Sarsiwan, Dariyapur, Shuklapura, Bela, Baghipakar, Dharmpura, Hematpur, Kadari. Besides, the flood water has overtopped Dhudhua, Daulatpur, Bara-Basantpur road, Zamira-Dharahara road snapped communication with Ara town.The flood water has filled the low lying areas and may overtop the Bihia-Badakagaon main road on Ara-Buxar NH-84.

Almost all the 20 panchayats under Shahpur and Bihia blocks were completely inundated with the flood water and the situation is getting alarming with each passing day. Kalyanpur, Motirampur, Narainpur, Amrai Nawada, Doghara, Makhdumpur, Sanduar, Bandha and other villages under Bihia block hvae been completely flooded  damaging the standing crops in the fields. Water of river Ganga has already touched th gate of Bahoranpur police outpost.

Bhojpur DM Birendra Prasad Yadav visited the flood affected areas under Ara, Barahara and Shahpur blocks and directed the officials to remain alert round the clock. He got polythene sheets and food packets distributed among the flood affected people and also set up 15 tents and requisitioned medical teams in these areas. He deputed 25 officials in Shahpur, Ara, Barahara blocks.

Rising Ganga has also flooded Karmnasha river in Buxar district. The Ganga and the Karmnashaa are flowing over danger mark and inundated several areas. The flood water has overtopped the Chausa-Mohania and Chausa-Sasaram roads snapping link with the district headquarters. Several schools and colleges are submerged in the flood water.  Banarpur, Sikraul, Sonapa, Dihari, Tiwai and other villages are inundated. SDM, Buxar, Gautam Kumar said all  necessary arrangements were being made to fight the flood fury. A number of boats have been pressed into service as the flood water has started entering the houses in uplands.