BY RASHME SEHGAL
NEW DELHI

The Indian and Nepal governments have given the green signal to the construction of two mega dam projects to help rein in the tumultuous Kosi river. These two dams, called the Saptakosi and Sumkosi projects, will together provide 4,000 MW of electricity and will be constructed at a cost of Rs 40,000 crores.

BY AMIT AGNIHOTRI
NEW DELHI

As it dithers to take any action against irrigation minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav, the NDA government in Bihar headed by Nitish Kumar has appointed a judicial commission to probe the breach in Kosi embankment, which resulted in unprecedented floods in the state.

Former chief justice of Patna high court Rajesh Balia, who will look into the reasons behind the breach at Kushaha in Nepal on August 18, heads the commission.

Business Standard / New Delhi September 12, 2008, 0:06 IST

DOWN TO EARTH
Sunita Narain / New Delhi September 12, 2008, 2:47 IST

We were so greedy for land, we killed the very channels that prevented rivers from flooding.

This year, for once, the devastating floods of Bihar, where Kosi has swollen to expand across the state seem to have touched us. I say this because, last year, when the same region was under reeling under what was said to be the worst floods in living history, we simply did not know. Media had flashed a few images but it was just more of the same: rivers flood this region every year. So what

Gargi Parsai

Saptakosi, Sunkosi will help to tame Kosi
Prachanda will arrive in India
on Sunday

India will request Nepal for logistics and security

NEW DELHI: With a sense of urgency, India will take up with Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) the issue of construction of the Saptakosi and Sunkosi dam projects in upstream Nepal to tame the Kosi in Bihar. He is arriving here on Sunday.

The multipurpose Saptakosi dam will substantially reduce the flooding in Kosi, which caused unprecedented havoc in Bihar this year.

Overall flood situation in the State has improved a little today with the improvement in the weather condition. However, the water levels of the rivers are receding at a very slow rate, said sources in the Water Resources Department (WRD). The National Highway 31, which is under the floodwaters of the Puthimari river since Sunday last, is yet to be opened for vehicular traffic beyond the Puthimari Natun Bazar point.

GANGTOK, Sept 2