After flood, erosion starts under Barhara block in Bhojpur

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara: Hundreds of people of about a dozen villages under Barhara block in Bhojpur district might shift to safer places as their houses were swept away by the fast current of river Ganga. At least 51 houses were destroyed in these villages. Besides, a 100 year old Maa Kali temple at Achraj Lal Ke Tola under Barahara block was also swept away around midnight on September 3, 2016. After a fortnight of devastation caused by flood, people of this block are facing erosion by river Ganga. Dozens of villages including Acharaj Lal Ke Tola, Balua, Mauzampur, Kewatia, Piparpati are badly affected by erosion.

The residents of Achraj Lal Ke Tola said that around Saturday midnight, they heard ringing of bell of Maa Kali temple and so rushed to the temple and were taken aback seeing that the entire temple was swept away. The field and roads from Piparpati to Kewatiya ghat are being damaged by the fast current of the river. Scared, the people along with their children and family members started shifting to safer places in the night itself in Pick-up vans and tractors.

After the flood water of  river Ganga receded, erosion has started at a fast pace and engulfed more than four dozen houses and a temple. But, the Bhojpur district administration remains indifferent to it. This year, after flood water receded, erosion started at Balua and Acharaj Lal Ke Tola and engulfed about 51 houses rendering the people homeless. The erosion has also affected several hectares of agriculture land and even roads.

SDO, Ara, Navdeep Shukla, CO, Barahara, Sumit Kumar Singh, Executive Engineer, Flood Control, Raman Kumar along with other officials of the Flood Control wing of Water resources department inspected the affected places on Sunday and said that situation is dangerous and added that they were looking for a permanent solution of the problem.