Dear Saroj & Rewa,

 

There is something called Responsibility and Accountability. A Govt has a large machinary to do that kind of a job including in Kosi barrage and Kosi and other rivers. Most of us in e- groups are not residing in Bihar for years. We are searching for bread and butter outside. Those who are working in Bihar will not have job in Kosi. I was myself in jobs outside Bihar for 40 long years and my visits to my home place were limited to attending some social functions. I have not visited North Bihar incl. Kosi area of Bihar after 1955 summer when as a 11 yr old ACC cadet (Now Jr NCC) school boy volunteer I went to do Shramdaan in this very Kosi barrage.

 

So every body has a different types of responsibilities other than those engaged for jobs in Bihar. I am confident that except for sending money not many of e-group members can do anything. Be sure no body is waiting for our advice there in Patna and Kosi and we cannot do much physically except running few Relief Camps in the affected areas for a few days. Any step other than emergency assistance will land us into trouble. Bureaucracy and political functionaries do not accept the fact that any body knows any thing better than them. Except for Technical matters mostly it is true. I had some chance to get this feeling confirmed with bureaucrats in the Centre. Otherwise also the matter is very complex as anything related to Kosi involves Bihar Govt. Central Govt. & Nepal Govt. and people of the area on both sides of the border. Could we have done anything in this? SO THERE IS NOTHING LIKE BLAMING OTHERS.

 

Let us wait to hear from the Prime Movers.

 

I agree with Saroj that Govt must be involved. This must include both the Govts at the State and Centre but the timing of their involvement has got to be minutely worked out by the Prime Movers whether they should be invited since the start of the sessions / consultations or at a later stage. I would like to further add that most useful people in the proposed consultation/ Meeting will be those ex- Govt. Engineers who have served in Kosi and other river/ dams/ barrages etc. and irrigation projects.

 

Dr.V.N.Sharma