RAUTAHAT: Even though monsoon has set in, the government has made no concrete effort to put in place control measures to deal with the problems of erosion and inundation.

The Bagmati and Lalbakaiya rivers wreak havoc by eroding land and inundating human settlements every year in Rautahat.

The rain-fed Lalbakaiya River affects various wards of Gaur Municipality and Dewahi, Karkach, Bairiya, Banjaraha VDCs during monsoon every year. Likewise, the Bagmati River cripples life at Dharampur, Gamhariya, Laxmipur, Tokar, Badaharwa, Basatpur, Matsari, Brahmapuri and Rajadevi VDCs.

Lack of governmental effort to control the Lalbakaiya River has locals in the affected area worried.

Sekh Nurullah from Karuniya said that though the river had breached the dike last year, it was yet to be repaired. “This year, many people are scared of more possible damage,” Sekh said.

Rautahat CDO Madan Bhujel said people around the Bagmati and Lalbakaiya rivers live in fear during monsoon. He added that the DAO’s pleas to repair the embankment ruptured by the flooded Lalbakaiya had fallen on deaf ears of Water Induced Disaster and River Control Office, Parwanipur, Parsa.

CDO Bhujel lamented that their repeated pleas to the Bagmati Irrigation Project to solve the problem of inundation at Dharampur had gone unheard. He however, said the district disaster rescue committee had made preparations to save people from disasters. He informed that work to build boats and buy necessary materials was under way.

Ajay Jayaswal, Chief at Water Induced Disaster and River Control, Parwanipur, Parsa, said lack of boulders had hindered repair work at Dewahi embankment. Ajay informed that technicians had been deployed to sensitive areas of both rivers to control the damage of flood. “We shall launch emergency work based on their report,” Ajay added.

The Indian government had agreed to provide financial assistance for embankment construction and repair work at Lalbakaiya and Bagmati rivers. “Delay on the part of the Indian government to allocate budget has disrupted repair work at the dike,” Ajay said.