Anto-erosion work exposed as Ganga causing erosion in Buxar block

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Buxar : River Ganga is causing erosion at a fast pace at Majharia and Umarpur villages under Buxar block in Buxar district posing threat to several villages exposing the anti-erosion work done by the district administration at a cost of Rs 5.66 crore. The district administration is now trying to stop erosion by placing gunny bags filled with soil not sand along the bank of the river.

The anti-erosion work was done to check erosion along the bank of the river Ganga at Majharia and Umarpur villages under Buxar block but within a month all the plastic bags of sand placed on the river bank slipped into the swirling water of Ganga. With the rise in the water level of river Ganga, erosion has started at a fast pace and the district administration sent a team of engineers to check erosion. The engineers are trying to check erosion by putting soil filled bags along the bank of the river violating of the direction of the department. The department had directed to put bags of sand along the bank of the river.

Suresh Mishra, Dharmendra Yadav and others  of Majharia village said if erosion continues at this pace, over 50 acre  of land will be engulfed by the river. They said that the water level of the river is rising 2 cm per hour but the contractor is placing only half filled bags of soil along the river bank. As a result, they claimed, the river is posing threat to Buxar-Koelwar embankment as the flood  water of Ganga is flowing just 130 metrr away from the embankment. The villagers said that the residents of the diara ( riverine) areas are spending sleepless nights these days fearing sudden flood and many of them have started shifting to safer places.

The villagers demanded action against the officials, employees and contractors responsible for the erosion and requested the DM to take appropriate action for their safety as well as cattle. They also demanded action against the Ganga Construction Company, which was given anti-erosion work despite being blacklisted earlier.

Upendra Nath Rai, Engineer, Flood Control, Buxar, said that sand bags have  to be placed along the banks of the river but due to rise in water lever, sand is not available in sufficient quantity, so soil filled bags were being used for the time being on the direction of the Water Resources Department (WRD).

The Buxar  DM had formed an inquiry committee to inquire  into the alleged irregularities in the anti-erosion work but the report of the has been gathering dust. The Buxar DM said that the fall of sand bags into river Ganga is a serious matter. The report of the inquiry committee is being studied and stern action will be taken against those responsible for the situation, the DM added.