The Indian side is digging a 'pilot channel' to push the natural flow of the Koshi river towards the western embankment. Now they are digging a 'pilot channel' in the river with the help of 30/35 skippers (soil cutting tractors) and one excavator.

However, the ``Pilot Channel'' which is going to be dug with a large investment has increased the risk of flooding among Nepali citizens living in the western region. 

The Indian side is going to build a 'pilot channel' in the river located in Tilathi Koiladi rural municipality-5 Tikulian of Saptari. "The Indian side is channelizing the main floodplain that flows naturally towards the eastern embankment towards the western embankment," said Krishna Yadav, who is also the ward president of Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality-14, "This will definitely put the Nepalese side at high risk of flooding half a dozen settlements." Dulba, Rampura and other settlements are at high risk of flooding. The local residents also obstructed the digging of the pilot channel, which started on 13th of Chait. Digging in the river was also stopped for seven days after the disruption. The work of digging the 'Pilot Channel' has been intensified since last Wednesday.

However, the representative of the construction company does not agree to give information about the work. Suman Kumar Mehta and Satrudhan Prasad Mandal are two Nepalese representatives of the construction company at that place. They say that they do not have detailed information about the work. What is the budget and how many kilometers of pilot channel should be dug? We don't know that,' said Mehta, 'We will work as told from above.'

Chairman of Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality Arun Kumar Mandal said that he has no coordination regarding the construction of 'pilot channel'. "I don't know about that, the Indian side never coordinates or informs us while working in Kosi," he said.

Efforts to reduce risks towards India

According to the famous Koshi agreement, the Indian side is responsible for the maintenance of structures such as barrages and embankments. However, because they have to build a solid embankment, while they are carrying out work by putting sand in sacks in the name of maintenance, the local residents are forced to live at risk every year.

To reduce the risk towards India, those 'pilot channels' are going to be dug. The representative of the construction company says that the pilot channel should also be completed within one and a half months. Chaitanya Sitaula, Joint Land Acquisition Liaison Officer of Biratnagar-based Liaison Office of

project, said that digging of 'pilot channel' is being done in coordination with them.