PATNA: Having received scanty rainfall in June and July, the water resources department (WRD) has undertaken a comprehensive plan to tackle the situation and mitigate the impact on farmers during the ongoing Kharif season, minister Sanjay Kumar Jha said on Friday.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of Jan Sunwayi programme at JD(U) office here, Jha said Bihar received 278.4mm rainfall from June 1 to July 28 against the corresponding normal of 474.2mm during the period.
"Chief minister Nitish Kumar has been closely monitoring the situation arising out of scanty and erratic rainfall so far this monsoon. It was decided this week to give subsidy to farmers for purchase of diesel," Jha said.
Deliberating on the Sone canal system, the lifeline for irrigation in south Bihar, the WRD minister said earlier low water level in the canal was a cause for concern. "The situation has improved now after concerted efforts," he said.
"The Sone canal system receives water from Ban Sagar (Madhya Pradesh) and Rihand (Uttar Pradesh) reservoirs. As on July 28, Ban Sagar Dam released 5,221 cusecs and Rihand 2,376 cusecs of water. The discharge at Indrapuri barrage on Sone river is about 14,000 cusecs, of which 4,600 cusecs and 9,400 cusecs of water is being released to east and west canals, respectively," said Jha, who later visited Dehri in Rohtas district and inspected the Indrapuri barrage and Sone canal system.
To a question on the water level in Kosi canal system, Jha said, "Discharge at Birpur barrage at present is 1,62,065 cusecs and east and west Kosi canals were receiving 8,000 and 3,200 cusecs, respectively."
On the situation in north Bihar, he said the Valmikinagar barrage on Gandak river had 1,42,900 cusecs water, of which 7,400 and 14,000 cusecs were being released to east and west main canals, respectively.
