Experts of Ganga Flood Control Committee oversee flood prevention work at Naugachia. Telegraph picture

Naugachia (Bhagalpur), June 2: Fear of a recurrence of the 2008 floods is giving sleepless nights to residents of this sub-division, among the worst-affected in the Kosi deluge three years ago.

The fear has taken alarming proportions with the state government’s failure to complete the flood prevention work on the rivers Kosi and Ganga within the deadline of May 30.

The water resources department is under fire with the residents, as well as the Opposition parties, blaming it for making “tall claims” about flood prevention measures while failing to complete the work within the allotted time. The panic has increased with the monsoon knocking at the doors here.

Water department officials say Maoist rebels in Nepal are posing obstacles in the way of repairing the embankment on the Kosi near Birpur on the international border.

Sources in the water resources department confirmed the delay in flood prevention work on the Ganga and Kosi at Naugachia. However, the sources said minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary has constituted a high-level monitoring team to supervise progress of the work. Two experts from the Ganga Flood Control Committee — Umashankar Singh and Parmeshwari Prasad Singh — are at the helm of the team.

The team visited the site yesterday, and one of its experts, Umashankar Singh, admitted the “lapses” on part of the local officials in completing the work ahead of the deadline. He, however, claimed the work would now be completed by June 15. “Initially, the work was going on slowly. But from now on, the work will progressing with momentum,” he said.

“We have asked the officials and workers concerned to gather the stone chips and boulders and pile them again on the spurs of the Kosi. The piling had been washed away in the 2010 floods. After completion of the piling work, the nose of the spurs would be cut and shaped,” Umashankar Singh said.

People at Bihpur block in Naugachia alleged delay in repair work at the zamindari bund at Trimuhan. Binoy Kumar, a resident of Naugachia, said: “The zamindari bund has been facing challenges from the Kosi every monsoon. If the repair work is not completed in time, the floods would strike and destroy the rail and road connectivity in the area.” National Highway 31 passes though Naugachia.

Congress leaders Ajit Sharma and Sital Prasad Singh criticised the government for neglecting the repair work. “I would send a detailed report to the Prime Minister, requesting his intervention in the matter,” Sharma said. CPI leader Suprabha Bharati slammed the government for “engaging in politics” with the lives of the people.

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