Patna, Sept 15: The Bihar government today questioned
the Centre's decision of empowering a high level technical
expert committee to bring out the cause of breach and remedial
measures in Kosi embankment at a time when the state
government has already set up a Judicial Commission to probe
the matter.
"What is the point in adding the new clause in Technical
Expert Committee's terms of reference when the state
government has already announced the setting up of the
Judicial Commission which would inquire about the cause of
breach and also suggest the remedial measures," state Water
Resources Development Minister Brijendra Prasad Yadav said.
Speaking about the letter written by the Union Ministry
of Water Resources on August 29 constituting the expert
committee, the minister said there was no mention that the
committee would go into the details of breach and suggest
remedial measures. It has been added to the terms of reference
of the committee only yesterday when the government offices
were closed.
Referring to the letter which incorporates the new
dimension, he cited the letter which reads "high level expert
team would undertake the immediate visit to the flood affected
structures and inspect the breached section of afflux bund to
find out cause of breach and suggest remedial measures."
He said the state government was ready to undertake the
plugging of the breach but it should be decided once and for
all by the Centre whether it would carry out the plugging or
the state government.
Bureau Report
