The government has identified around 30 embankments and bridges that are in danger of being breached during the "flood season" for corrective measures to be taken in time for monsoon when floods usually strike.

"We have identified around 30 embankments and bridges, which are under pressure from the flow of rivers as guide bunds have not been constructed," water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, better known as Lalan Singh, said in the Legislative Council on Saturday. "We have held meetings with all the departments concerned and the bunds will be made before floods come in 2017."

The threat is because no guide bunds or banks have been constructed to protect the structures from the river flow.

Lalan's reply came to a short-notice question put forward by senior BJP leader Mangal Pandey, who enquired about the current status.

Rivers in the floodplains are spread wide and constructing bridges and other structures across their entire natural spread is not feasible. So they are narrowed with the help of embankments. Banks help guide the river flow past them without causing damage, which is likely especially during floods.

"The danger was first noticed in the 2016 floods when seepage was reported in an embankment along the Kamla Balan river near Rasiyari bridge (in Darbhanga)," Lalan said.

Threat of a breach has been discovered along the Gandak, Kosi and Kamla Balan rivers. Even the Kosi Mahasetu in Supaul district is in danger.

Replying on the status of government tubewells enquired by Rajnish Kumar, the BJP chief whip, cooperatives minister Alok Kumar Mehta said there were 10,242 such tubewells across Bihar of which 9,192 could be reactivated. Mehta replied on behalf of minor irrigation minister Tej Pratap Yadav.