Saptakosi High Dam, also called Koshi High Dam, is a multipurpose project proposed to be constructed on the Saptakoshi River of Nepal. The project is primarily aimed to control floods in south-east Nepal and northern Bihar of India, and to generate hydro power. [1] An issue subsequently coming with this project is Nepal’s access to sea port via 165 km long navigation canal linking to Calcutta sea port through River Ganges. [2]
After catastrophe (Koshi changing course breaking the embankments [3] ) by erosion of embankments Koshi Barrage in 2008 [4] and the 52 year old barrage's decaying life has given additional pressure to both governments [5] for thinking about its alternative.
Both governments of India and Nepal have begun studies for the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) of the Project and Sun Kosi Storage-cum-Diversion Scheme. A Joint Project Office (JPO) was set up in Nepal for investigation of the project [6] in August 2004.
Koshi High Dam is a project that was studied, surveyed and revised by various authorities from centuries. In the history there were many notable heavy floods on Koshi river killing thousands and displacing millions people. To prevent losses first survey was conducted by British India Major J Renal in around 1779. Subsequently James Fargusan studied in 1863 and later A.F. Ceiling Field studied Koshi flood. British authority has reached to a decision of constructing embankments after the devastating flood of 1869-70. [7]
British made an agreement with Rana rulers of Nepal to construct dam in Sunsari and Saptari districts of Nepal but the project failed after the flood of May 1891. On 27 February 1897 Prime Minister Bir Shamsher Rana approved British India to construct a dam below Barahachhetra. Again in 1944 an American company studied for the British which suggested to construct dam in Churiya range. Following it a commission headed by Rayabahadur Ayodhyanath Khosala studied Koshi on ground in January 1946. He suggested to construct dam 1.6 Kilometer upstream from Barahakshetra area. [8]
After independence India Government formed commission headed by engineer S.P.Prasad which suggested to construct 25.91 meter high dam in Prasad which ended up with Koshi Agreement 25 April 1954 [9] [10] and amended in 1966. Following the agreement India constructed the present Koshi Barrage (completed 24 April 1965) [11]
Construction of Koshi Barrage gave a great relief to people in Bihar for long time but even it couldn't solve the problem. Concept of Saptakoshi High Dam was reinstated after Indian P.M. Atal Bihari Vajpayee introduced Indian Rivers Inter-link project in 2005. Sapta Koshi River is one of the major tributary branch of the Ganges river system that originates from the Himalaya and meets Ganga at Bihar. Koshi causes floods in Nepal and India every year. A big landmass of Bihar is affected by Koshi flood every year. Therefore Koshi is known as ‘sorrow of Bihar’ [12]
From the very beginning, the project has been criticized. The main issue raised against the ambitious project is its environmental and social impact. As currently outlined, the dam would displace over 75,000 people from the land covered by the dam.
Nepal measures about 880 kilometers (547 mi) along its Himalayan axis by 150 to 250 kilometers across. It has an area of 147,516 km2 (56,956 sq mi).
The Kosi or Koshi is a transboundary river which flows through China, Nepal and India. It drains the northern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet and the southern slopes in Nepal. From a major confluence of tributaries north of the Chatra Gorge onwards, the Kosi River is also known as Saptakoshi for its seven upper tributaries. These include the Tamur River originating from the Kanchenjunga area in the east and Arun River and Sun Kosi from Tibet. The Sun Koshi's tributaries from east to west are Dudh Koshi, Likhu Khola, Tamakoshi River, Bhote Koshi, and Indravati. The Saptakoshi crosses into northern Bihar, India where it branches into distributaries before joining the Ganges near Kursela in Katihar district. Kosi is the 3rd largest tributary of the Ganges by water discharge after Ghaghra and Yamuna.
Bhote Koshi in Nepal and Poiqu in Tibet, both names roughly mean "Tibetan river," is the name given to the upper course of the Sun Kosi river. It is part of the Koshi River system in Nepal.
Pollution of the Ganges, the largest river in the Indian subcontinent, poses significant threats to human health and the larger environment. The river, which is severely polluted with human waste and industrial contaminants, provides water to about 40% of India's population across 11 states, serving an estimated population of 500 million people, which is more than any other river in the world.
The 2008 Indian floods were a series of floods in various states of India during the 2008 monsoon season. The floods mostly affected the western regions of Maharashtra state and Andhra Pradesh as well as northern Bihar. In India, the monsoon season generally lasts from June to September.
The 2008 Bihar flood was one of the most disastrous floods in the history of Bihar, an impoverished and densely populated state in India. The Koshi embankment near the Indo-Nepal border broke on 18 August 2008. The river changed course and flooded areas which had not been flooded in many decades. The flood affected over 2.3 million people in the northern part of Bihar.
The Koshi Barrage is a sluice across the Koshi river that carries vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic between Saptari district and Sunsari district of Nepal. It is near the International border with India. It was built between 1958 and 1962 and has 56 gates. It was constructed after the Koshi Agreement was signed between the Government of Nepal and India on April 25, 1954. The barrage was designed and built by Joseph and Company Limited, India. The Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve is roughly 3–4 miles north of the barrage.
Bihar is India's most flood-prone state, with 76% of population in the North Bihar living under the recurring threat of flood devastation. Bihar makes up 16.5% of India's flood affected area and 22.1% of India's flood affected population. About 73.06% of Bihar's geographical area, i.e. 68,800 square kilometres (26,600 sq mi) out of 94,160 square kilometres (36,360 sq mi), is flood affected. On an annual basis, they destroy thousands of human lives apart from livestock and assets worth millions. In total, they have claimed 9,500 lives since the government started publishing figures in 1979. North Bihar districts are vulnerable to at least five major flood-causing rivers during monsoon – Mahananda River, Koshi River, Bagmati River, Burhi Gandak River and Gandak – which originate in Nepal. Some south Bihar districts have also become vulnerable to floods from Son, Punpun and Phalgu rivers. The 2013 flood affected over 5.9 million people in 3,768 villages in 20 districts of the state. 2017 flood affected 19 districts of North Bihar killing 514 people and affecting 1.71 crore people.
The Koshi embankments were built in late 1950s to retain the Kosi River which is a transboundary river between Nepal and India and is one of the largest tributaries of the Ganges. It was conceptualised during the first Bihar Government of CM Shri Babu and his deputy Anugraha Babu. According to the agreement with Nepal, the responsibility of maintaining these embankments was vested in the Government of Bihar.
The Kamala River originates from Nepal and flows through Indian state of Bihar.
The Indravati River in Nepal is a tributary of the Sun Koshi River. It used to be called "Melamchi" or "Melamchu" until the 19th century.
The Mechi River is a trans-boundary river flowing through Nepal and India. It is a tributary of the Mahananda River.
The Sunkoshi, also spelt Sunkosi, is a river of Nepal that is part of the Koshi or Saptkoshi River system in Nepal. Sunkoshi has two source streams, one that arises within Nepal in Choukati, and the other more significant stream that flows in from Nyalam County in the Tibet region of China. The latter is called Bhote Koshi in Nepal and Matsang Tsangpo in Tibet. Due to the significant flows from Bhote Koshi, the Sun Koshi river basin is often regarded as a trans-border river basin.
Kunauli is a town located in the Supaul district of Bihar, India on the border of Nepal's Saptari District.
Bhimnagar is a village in Basantpur tehsil of Supaul district in the Indian state of Bihar, south of the Koshi Barrage, near the India-Nepal border. The village has more than 20 hours power supply through Kattaiah power house. Bhimnagar is advanced in education with an 73% literacy rate. It has a Primary Hospital which is now used as Sadar Aspatal. It has been a known place for sports like cricket, Football, Badminton and many other sports. Bhimnagar was greatly impacted by the 2008 Bihar flood of the Kosi River.
The Barauni–Katihar, Saharsa and Purnia sections of the Barauni–Guwahati line connects Barauni, Saharsa, Purnia and Katihar in the Indian state of Bihar.
The Chatra Gorge is a canyon cut by the Kosi River across the Mahabharat Range in Nepal.
North Bihar is a term used for the region of Bihar, India, which lies north of the Ganga river.
Koshi Province is the autonomous easternmost province adopted on 20 September 2015 by Constitution of Nepal. The province is rich in natural resources, tourist attractions, recreational activities, and natural beauty. The province covers an area of 25,905 km2, about 17.5% of the country's total area. With the industrial city of Biratnagar as its capital, the province covers other major eastern towns including Birtamod, Birat Chowk, Damak, Dharan, Itahari, Triyuga and Mechinagar and includes several mountains including the Everest, Kangchenjunga, and Ama Dablam. Koshi River, the largest river of the nation, is the province's western boundary. Understanding of the first-past-the-post voting system issued by the Constituency Delimitation Commission, Nepal, the province hosts 28 parliamentary seats and 56 provincial assembly seats.
Barahakshetra Municipality is a newly formed municipality located in Sunsari District of Koshi Province in Nepal. The area of the municipality is 222 km2 and according to 2011 Census of Nepal the population of the municipality is 77,604 Barahakshetra is a famous pilgrimage site that remains inside Barahakshetra Municipality. Also saptakoshi River flows inside the Municipality.