Sanjay Kumar Jha pitches for early formulation of national silt management policy to help ease Bihar’s flood problems

The proposed National Policy on Sediment Management must be formulated and implemented early to help ease the recurring problems of flood in Bihar, Sanjay Kumar Jha, Minister for Water Resources and Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Bihar, has said.

With regards to the management of river water and floods, Bihar has advocated formulation of the national sediment management policy to ensure uninterrupted flow of water in the river Ganga, Jha said in a virtual address at States’ Policy Conclave 2022, organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

The draft policy on sediment management was released in July 2017 by the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The ministry was renamed as Jal Shakti Ministry in 2019.

The draft policy on sediment management was released in July 2017 by the Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Jha said Bihar has given its input on the draft national policy on sediment management and urged the central government to formulate the policy at its earliest.

“We have responded to the draft siltation policy proposal from Jal Shakti Ministry. We are now keen that Jal Shakti Ministry formulates the national silt management policy early, to give the much-needed relief to Bihar,” the minister said.

Jha said several dams and barrages constructed on the river Ganga have aggravated the problems of floods in Bihar.

Dams / Barrages constructed on rivers alter the equilibrium of flow of water and sediment in alluvial channels. Construction of dams reduces the velocity of water in upstream thereby causing aggradation. Relatively silt free water released through the spillway, causes erosion/ degradation downstream of the spillway.

Various technologies are available for ameliorating the effects of sediment trapping in the reservoirs of varying sizes. However, the specific situations encountered are generally unique and specific solutions have to be evolved in each case.   

Flood is a recurring problem in Bihar resulting in massive loss of lives, crops, property and livelihood and diverting precious resources for rescue, relief and rehabilitation, he said.

While the huge discharge by several Himalayan rivers flowing through Bihar is a natural phenomenon the heavy deposition of silt in the riverbed remains the key reason for the flooding of our plains

Sanjay Kumar Jha

While the huge discharge by several Himalayan rivers flowing through Bihar is a natural phenomenon the heavy deposition of silt in the riverbed remains the key reason for the flooding of our plains, he added.

He said Bihar government under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been taking pro-active measures to address the issue of environment and climate change.

Jha pointed out that Bihar government has launched Jal Jeevan Hariyali Abhiyaan to address the issues of climate change. While the whole world is deeply concerned about the climate change challenge Bihar launched Jal Jeevan Hariyali Abhiyaan way back in 2019. This is a unique and comprehensive model to address the issue, he said.