Indian CM for decommissioning Farakka barrage

Chief minister of India’s Bihar state Nitish Kumar has again demanded to the central government to decommission the Farakka barrage, saying it has no utility and causes floods in the state every year, according to a media report.

Earlier in August 2016, he requested the central government to remove the Farakka barrage that diverts waters of the Ganges river before it enters into Bangladesh territory.

On Monday, NDTV published PTI report which also said Nitish Kumar also protested against the proposed reservoir at Buxar and in Uttar Pradesh enroute Allahabad-Haldia waterway.

"We had made the demand to decommission Farakka barrage in West Bengal to the previous UPA government. I told this to prime minister Narendra Modi also that the Farakka dam is causing heavy siltation in river Ganga which is a major reason for heavy floods every year in Bihar," he was quoted to have said to reporters.

"Many experts have also pointed out the disadvantages from Farakka dam and its original engineer from West Bengal involved in construction of the barrage had opposed it and was forced to leave the job."

The Bihar CM went on saying, "I have made the demand against Farraka barrage at every platform as its a leading cause for deposit of silt in Ganga river and also hampering flow of the mighty river."

Nitish Kumar recalled that during flood last year when premier Modi had talked to him, “I had told him about disadvantages accruing from Farraka dam and during a meeting with him explained this in detail also."

Flanked by state water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lallan, the chief minister said that the barrage has been genesis of floods every year in Bihar, according to the report.

Asked about West Bengal's stand on the dam, he said that state is also adversely affected by it but "I do not focus on what others say or is doing on this, since Bihar is affected by it grossly we are protesting against the barrage".