Patna, March 8: The state government has decided to seek Bangladesh’s relatively “superior” flood forecasting technology, water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan, better known as Lallan Singh, announced in the Assembly on Tuesday.

“Bangladesh is among few countries that has developed technology to forecast floods seven days in advance,” Lallan said.

“Our government has decided to seek the technology from there.” 

A source in his department said: “For this, the external affairs ministry will have to tap Bangladesh through the Indian embassy there.” 

Replying to a debate on the budgetary demand for his department, Lallan said Bihar woefully lacked technology to forecast flood despite recurring floods caused by rivers from Nepal.

“We have set up a flood forecasting system only on the Bagmati River. The system might warn about impending floods 72 hours in advance. We are in the process of setting up similar systems on the Kosi and Gandak,” Lallan said even as the Opposition BJP walked out, calling his reply “inadequate”.

The minister said unlike previous seasons when work to check river erosion extended till the rainy season, the government has fixed a deadline this year. “The water resources  department has identified all erosion points and deployed executive engineers to plug the same. The work has to be completed by May 16. The deadline would not be extended under any circumstances,” the minister said.

Lallan said work was under way to complete the Indrapuri reservoir project, which would augment irrigation facilities in large parts of central and south Bihar. “Completion of the project will lead to availability of water to irrigate rabi crops too.

So far, the Sone Canal system ensures irrigation for kharif crops only. The system is not equipped to conserve water for rabi crops.”