KATHMANDU, August 3: Mithilesh Yadav, Republica’s reporter in Lahan of Siraha district, had a brief conversation with Jayakumar Rai, chairman of Belka Municipality-8, which is facing land erosion by the Saptakoshi River, about the embankment erosion, inundation and rescue.
Erosion by Karnali leads to displacement of 15,000 people
Around 2044, 2045 and 2046 BS, the Saptakoshi River was flowing from here. Now the river has broken the embankment in the eastern side. It broke the embankment in Ward 8 of Belka Municipality. Sisoli settlement of Ward No. 8 and Ward No. 3, 9 and 2 are the affected areas. In total, nearly 1,600 households have been affected. About 10,000 people are suffering and affected. It was not possible to go to the place where the flood victims were. But they are in contact. We are trying to rescue them through boats.
So far, there has been no loss of life or property. We are in the process of rescuing them. The water flow keeps rising, it hasn’t stopped. The risk continues to rise too. Earlier, the Government of India had tried to stop the water of Koshi at this place but it could not hold the water flow. The local level also took a lot of initiatives but Koshi could not be stopped. A lot of bamboo and grass planting, dam construction was also done. But the Saptakoshi got out of control. We are trying to save the people by rescuing the people living on the island in the middle of the river and moving them to a safer place. There are 1,500 to 1,600 households on the island.
