Patna, Dec. 19 (PTI): The state government and the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) are examining several projects for linking rivers in the state, official said today.

While the survey of the Indian portion of the Kosi-Ghaghra and Gandak-Ghaghra link rivers were being carried out, the issue of linking Kosi-Mechia canal would be taken up with Nepal, a state water resources department official said.

The other proposed link canals include Kosi with Mechi, Chunar with Sone barrage, Sone Dam with the southern tributaries of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra-Ganga (MSTG) link canal, they said.

The Gandak-Ganga link canal was partly related to Bihar, with Nepal and Uttar Pradesh being partners.

The feasibility of the 112.55km-long Kosi-Mechi link canal, which would pass through the Terai area in Nepal, would start from the left side of Chatra barrage and fall into Mechi after using the basins of three smaller rivers — Bakra, Ratuwa and Kankai, was being studied, the official said.

The receiving capacity of the proposed canal would be 1407.80 cubic metre per second and discharge rate would be 97.64 cusec.

The the Ganga and the Brahmaputra-Ganga link canal would provide irrigational facilities to 4.74 lakh hectares of land of which, 1.75 lakh hectares are in Nepal and 2.99 lakh hectares in Bihar.

The canal would also provide navigational facility from Chatra to Ganga via Mechi and Mahananda rivers.