New Delhi, May 25 (ANI): Union Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid today said that India is in touch with Nepal to build check dams on rivers shared by both nations to address the problem of flooding in different states.
Briefing the media about the conference of the 15th Meeting of the Ganga Flood Control Board in New Delhi, Khurshid said the ministry hoped that the proposed dam projects in Nepal would help in irrigation and also control floods in states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
"The main thing is that we will get the full security (from floods) only when the proposed dam projects in Nepal will be made and the rain water will be stored there. It will help in irrigation also. Nepal will get the electricity and we will be able to save ourselves from floods," Khurshid told reporters.
"But this will only be possible when the talks between Nepal and India will move forward and a plan will be formed so that we take this plan ahead. We are discussing this matter on a priority basis. Even the External Affairs Ministry is in contact with Nepal," he added.
Parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are flooded every monsoon owing to the unchecked water flows in the Ganges from Nepal.
Khurshid added that the issue of building more dams in Nepal could not be pursued in the recent years because of political instability in the country.
He further said the officials from different states had attended the conference and given an account of the problems faced by them in implementing flood control programs.
"Apart from this, we discussed the flood control programmes that we have like Flood Protection Programme. We also discussed why a in few places it is taking a long time for its implementation and we also discussed how we can speed up our programs and policies," Khurshid said.
The 15th Meeting of the Ganga Flood Control Board was held here today at Vigyan Bhawan under the Chairmanship of Salman Khurshid.
Ministers dealing with Water Resources from the basin States of Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, U.P. and West Bengal; representatives from the States of MP, Himachal Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Uttrakhand and Delhi; representatives from some of the Union Ministries; Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources; Chairman, Ganga Flood Control Commission and other senior officers of the Ministry of Water Resources dealing with the issue were also present.
Salman Khurshid impressed upon the State representatives to look into the issue of declaring 'Water' as a national asset and in this context also referred to the recent observations of the Supreme Court of India so that this utmost important resource can be managed in a better, equitable, efficient and quicker way.
The 14th meeting of the Ganga Flood Control Board was held in June 2000. (ANI)
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