Speed Post News Network
Bagaha : Fed up with apathetic attitude of the state government, the residents of Tharu dominated village Mainaha in Jimari Nautanawa panchayat under Bagaha-2 block in West champaran district recently started construction of about half- a-kilometre stretch of protection bund along right bank of river Kosil themselves for their safety. The work is likely to be completed before rainy season. The bund is located on the flank of Valmiki Tiger Reserve under Chiutaha Forest Range.
Every year the villagers had to face fury of Kosil flood. The river originates from Swamesawar Hill. Mainaha residents including Narasingh Mahto, Ramkewal Mahto, and Krishna Mahto told this reporter that their pleas to Valmikinagar MLA Dhirendra Pratap alias Rinku Singh and Valmikinagar MP Satish chandra Dubey, and even district administration notwithstanding, no work was initiated on this front.
Dipnarain Prasad, President, Tharu Welfare Federation, too said the government did not respond to their repeated requests for construction of the protection bund. River Kosil is slowly changing its course due to sand mining on its bank, he said. He said that during Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s visit to Binwalia under Bagaha-2 block of the district to inaugurate 40th Tharu convention in May 2018, the issue was raised again but to no avail.
A government official thanked the villagers for reminding the administration of its responsibility.
The residents of village Harihapur in Gudaguddi panchayat under Ramnagar block are also facing the same problem. They too have construction of a bund to get rid of flood from river Masan river, said Ramesh Fauzi.