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First
President Warned of a Potential Kosi Disaster
By Satya Prasad
Sept. 21, 2008 |
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A news item
indicates that the Bihar government has
instituted a commission to review the failure of
the authority to tame the river Kosi. This blame
game is not going to solve any problem. As early
as 1952, the then President of India, Dr.
Rajendra Prasad, brought the attention of the
then Chief Minister of Bihar, S. K. Sinha, to
this problem. Since then practically nothing has
been done to provide relief to the residents
from the scourge of the Kosi wrath.
I am quoting from his letter to the CM dated 8th
June 1952:
"My dear Sri Babu:
Two or three days ago Shri V. T. Krishnamachari,
Vice-Chairman of the Planning Commission, came
to see me and in the course of conversation he
gave me some information which caused me
disappointment and which I think I shall share
with you as I am afraid it will cause you and
other people in Bihar disappointment. He told me
that investigations in connection with the Kosi
Project have been going on and the latest report
by Dr. Savage is to the effect that there is
such a tremendous amount of sand carried by Kosi
that it is felt that any dam that may be erected
will become useless after a few years unless
something is done either to clear the sand or to
prevent its carriage by the Kosi and that there
is no means yet of doing either. This raises the
question of the feasibility of the entire
scheme. Investigation is however not yet
complete and will continue to be carried on, but
he was feeling somewhat doubtful about the final
result and about the Kosi Project being in any
case taken up in the 2-1/2 years which will
remain of the First 5-Year Plan.... I thought I
had better pass on this information to you so
that you might ascertain the exact situation and
take such action as you may consider necessary
in the circumstances which have now arisen...."
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Comments: |
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Sorry to read this article that more
than 50 years back if the Bihar
Govt. had given attention to this,
loss of economy may be have
happened. Let's hope some fruitful
result comes out of this. -
Rajesh Kumar - Sept. 23, 2008 |
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