Professor Atul Aditya Pandey (top) of the Patna University’s geology department will head a project on studying the Kosi basin. Telegraph pictures

Patna, Sept. 29: For the first time, Kosi has brought good news for the state.

Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) has joined hands with the department of geology, Patna University, to study the Kosi basin. Its focus will be on the flood pattern of the Kosi, topography of the river basin and seismic zones of the area. Initially, Rs 15 lakh will be pumped in.

Professor Atul Aditya Pandey of the geology department of the Patna University, who will head the project, said: “This is the first time that a university in Bihar has been chosen by the Isro to study the Kosi basin.”

The project involves study of Kosi basin with the help of remote sensing.

Effective flood management depends on accurate flood forecasts by using strong technologies, which includes application of remote sensing.

The programme christened Respond, with the help of satellite data, will prepare the detailed mapping of the area, which will be used to study disasters like floods and earthquakes.

The geology department had submitted the project proposal to Isro last year with a view to study the flood pattern, topography and various seismic zones of the Kosi basin.

Based on the project proposal, Isro has selected the geology department for geo-scientific study of the basin. The project is scheduled to be completed in three years.

Research scholars like Pandey and Shankar Dayal will study the basin minutely. National Remote Sensing Centre, Hyderabad, will provide the satellite imaging of the Kosi basin to the geology department.

After procuring the satellite images of the Kosi area, the scholars will minutely study them with the help of latest softwares.

Pandey said: “A.S. Rajawat, senior scientist of Space Application Centre (Ahmedabad) will play a key role in the project.

Research scholars will submit the project to Rajawat, who will be supervising it.”

According to Pandey, flood-mapping is a vital component for appropriate land use planning in flood-prone areas. It creates easily read, rapidly accessible charts and maps, which facilitate the administrators and planners to identify areas of risk and prioritise their mitigation and response efforts.

Pandey said the plains of north Bihar, particularly the Kosi basin, are some of the most flood-prone areas of the country. Various reports suggested that the Kosi plains have recorded highest number of floods in the past few decades.

Moreover, the total flood-affected area has also increased over the years. Kosi, known as the “sorrow of Bihar”, has rapid and frequent avulsions of course and has caused extensive flood damages.

Pandey added: “The river has been causing a lot of destruction by lateral movement and extensive flooding as the river water carry heavy silt and has a steep gradient. The river also has a tendency to move sideways.”

The river has moved laterally by about 150km in about 200 years.

Pandey also said that once the study is completed, the data collected would be helpful in planning linking of rivers and other water management processes.