RAUTAHAT, June 15: Indian authorities have reportedly raised and reinforced a border embankment near Bairgania, across from Gaur in Rautahat, triggering fresh concerns of flooding in southern Nepal.
Local residents say the work, carried out in the name of repairs, has increased the height and width of the embankment despite bilateral understandings that prohibit either country from unilaterally building or altering major structures near the border.
Residents claim the five-kilometre-long, 15-foot-high embankment, built to shield towns in India’s Bihar state from floods, has for years diverted monsoon waters into Nepal. They allege that three sluice gates on the eastern section of the structure are routinely kept closed, worsening flooding in Gaur and nearby villages.
According to locals, the embankment blocks the natural flow of water from the Lalkebaiya and Bagmati rivers, causing water to back up and inundate Nepali settlements. Additional soil recently added to the structure is expected to further restrict drainage during the monsoon season.
Former Gaur Mayor Ajay Kumar Gupta said India has continued expanding the embankment without consultation, despite past objections from Nepali authorities. He recalled that when Gaur Municipality attempted riverbank protection works on the Bakaiya River in 2020, Indian authorities raised objections.
Gupta argued that the closure of sluice gates beneath the embankment has become a major cause of annual flooding in Gaur, resulting in repeated losses of property and livelihoods.
Rautahat Chief District Officer Dinesh Sagar Bhusal said the matter has been raised with officials in India’s Sitamarhi district. According to him, Indian authorities said the repair work is being carried out under instructions from the central government.
As the issue involves border management and bilateral agreements, political leaders in Madhesh have repeatedly urged Kathmandu to pursue a permanent diplomatic solution with New Delhi before another monsoon season brings renewed flooding to the area.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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