One of the 36 gates of Valmki Nagar barrage on the Gandak river in Bihar's West Champaran district was partially damaged due to pressure of water discharge from Nepal and repair works are underway.
Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh today said, gate number 33 of the barrage on Gandak river was partially damaged last night when all the gates were being opened to regulate discharge of 2.70 lakh cusec water by Nepal following heavy rainfall in catchment areas of various rivers.
"However, there is no need for panic by people residing in the low lying areas of West Champaran and other districts as the other 35 gates are functioning normally and regulating discharge of river water from Nepal," he said.
Singh said the barrage had discharged 1.69 lakh cusec water during the day yesterday, but the discharge level suddenly jumped to 2.7 lakh cusec in the night due to heavy rainfall in the catchment area in Nepal. The Valmiki Nagar barrage has water discharge capacity of 8.5 lakh cusec.
While WRD engineers were deputed permanently at the barrage, a private maintenance team is working overtime to repair the damaged gate, Singh said, adding a team of engineers have been rushed to Valmiki Nagar to supervise repair and restoration works of the barrage gate.
A probe has been ordered and the WRD chief engineer at Muzaffarpur and the chief engineer of mechanical department at the state headquarters have been sent there, he said.
The WRD minister said they have been asked to submit a report by tomorrow so that stringent action can be initiated against the engineers responsible for lapses, if any.
West Champaran district magistrate has ordered a simultaneous probe to find out any criminal lapse by engineers deputed at the barrage for maintenance of the gate, Singh added.
