India, Nepal draft roadmap for flood control, irrigation cooperation

India and Nepal have drafted a roadmap for collaboration in areas of flood control and irrigation, as senior officials of the two sides met here and comprehensively reviewed bilateral water-sector cooperation.

The discussion took place at the two-day 11th meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Committee on Kosi and Gandak Projects, which concluded in Kathmandu on Friday.

The Indian delegation was led by Santosh Kumar Mall, Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Government of Bihar, and the Nepalese delegation was led by Mitra Baral, Director General, Department of Irrigation, according to a press release issued by the Indian Embassy.

The meeting comprehensively reviewed "India-Nepal cooperation in the Kosi and Gandak projects and drafted a future roadmap for further cooperation, including in the areas of flood control and irrigation," said the Indian Embassy.

 

During the meeting, the Nepalese delegation agreed to remove encroachments from key Kosi and Gandak project areas, including canals, barrage zones and embankments to ensure smooth operation and maintenance.

The Indian side agreed to inspect and address drainage and waterlogging issues in the canal command areas of Western Kosi Main Canal and Valmikinagar Gandak Canal on the Nepalese side.

Both sides agreed to use materials such as sand, soil, and silt for erosion control works in the Kosi region in the Virpur area before the onset of the monsoon.

The tenth meeting of the joint committee was held in Patna in April 2022.