Nawalparasi, August 21 :

People of eight VDCs in southern part of the district, affected by Gandak dam, have demanded full implementation of the provisions of the decades-old Gandak Agreement.

They made this demand at a press conference organised here today.

India and Nepal had agreed, in the Gandak Agreement, that India would build a dam, canal and embankments on Narayani River and take water into Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and also make adequate provisions to maintain them.

“But now the residents of Triveni, Narsahi, Kudiya, Paklihawa, Pratappur, Baidauli, Guthiprasauni and Guthisurajpura VDCs said are vulnerable to flood risks because India has not repaired the dam, canals and the embankments which are old and may crumble any time,” the villagers said.

The dam constructed on the Nepali side is weaker, the villagers said.

Chairperson of Gandak River Control Struggle Committee, Asutosh Rana, urged the Uttar Pradesh government to strengthen the dam as level of river is rising and may flood settlements.

The dam is said to have a capacity to resist 8.5 lakh cusec water but 6.29 lakh cusec of water destroyed it oon July 23, 2002 and flooded eight VDCs, locals said.

The height of the dam should be increased by at least two meters, and the retention pillars should be reconstructed, said Krishna Kanaiya Upadhaya of Narsahi VDC.

More than half of the 20-km embankment from Triveni to Paklilhawa is weak and when water level rises it may anytime destroy it, said Prem Chandra Gupta of struggle committee.

As per the agreement, the Indian government should provide compensation to the people affected by the Gandak dam but this has not happened for a long time, said Nanda Lal Mishra, central member of the Nepal Kisan Sangh.