DR. L. N. SINHA INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, HUMAN RIGHTS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & RESEARCH

REGISTERED UNDER SOCIETY ACT 21,1860 – REG. NO. 001218/608/2001-2 DT.20.10.2001.

MIG-66, 1^st. Flr.,Hanuman Nagar, Kankarbagh, PATNA: 800020.Bihar, INDIA

growth5@hotmail.com, growth2@indiatimes.com,

Patron: Prof. Dr. P. R. Brahmanand. Prof. Dr. Amalesh Banerjee CHAIRMAN: Dr. (Mrs.) Jyoti Singh, International Renowned Economist Executive Director, Ph:2367209 jyoti_singh74@hotmail.com

Bangalore,INDIA vani@blr.vsnl.net.in Eco. Affairs, Kolkata @indiatimes.com / @rediffmail.com Patna

Ref. : _______________ amaleshban@yahoo.com Date: __________________

Rivers Of North Bihar and Nepal

Dr. (Mrs.) Jyoti Singh, Economist.

MIG - 66, 1^st. Floor, Hanuman Nagar

Kankarbagh, Patna: 800 020. Bihar, INDIA.

jyoti_singh74@rediffmail.com / hotmail.com /indiatimes.com

20.02.1999.

The rivers Gandak, Burhigandak, Bagmati, Kamla, Balan, Tiljuga, Kosi, Kankai, Mechi, Balasun, Mahanadi(Mahananda) and their tributaries rise in the Himalaya and flow into the Ganga.

The Gandak rises in the central region of the Himalaya with acatchment of 14,612 szuare miles. Seven streams, the Seti, the Madi, the Kaligandak, the Marsyandi, the Trisuli, the Burigandak and the Rapti unite to form the river in the hills. The united stream flows past the Devaghat hills in a succession of rapids and pools and debauches into the plains at Triveni through a pass to the west of the Somesvar hills. It is joined at Triveni by two other streams, the panchanad and the Sonah. It flows in a south-easterly course of 192 miles in the plains and meets the Ganga near Hajipur. It is a perennial stream fed by glaciers. Its minimum discharge of water is 10.000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) and maximum discharge 7,00.000 cusecs. It is normally a quarter of a mile broad but during the rains it attains a breadth of 2 to 3 miles. Its only important tributary is Lalbnegi which rises in lake in Champaran. It has important spill channel, the Baya, which, with a catchment of 800square miles in the plains and a course of 170 miles, flows into the Ganga near Bajitpur.

The Gandak has been identified with the Kondochates of the Greek geographers and the Sadanira of the Vedas and the epics. The Satapathabrahmana(c, 1500 B.C.) refers to it while describing the Aryan migration into Mithila. It relates how Gotam and Videgh crossed this river and reclaimed the land east of it. The Gandak is also known as Salagrami and Narayanion account of salagramasila found in its bed and its association with Narayan (God ) in the legend of gajendramoksa (emancipation of elephant from the clutches of a crocodile ).

The Burhigundak rises in the western extremity of the Somesvar hills close to the Harha pass with a catchment of 900 square miles in the mountains. It has a long tortuous course of 270 miles in the plains. It falls into the Ganga near Khagaria. The longest river of Mithila, it served as an important trade route before the development of the railways. Its only tributary on the right bank is the Dhanauti which rises in a lake in Champaran. It receives a number of small streams from hills on its left bank. The Burhigundak is known as Harha at the foot of the hills and as Sikrana in the district of Champaran.

The Bagmati rises in the mountains north-east of the Nepal valley and has a catchment of 1700 square miles in the hills. It is a perennial river fed by springs. It rises quickly after heavy rainfall, its rapid current running 7 miles an hour in the upper reaches. It has a course of 155 miles in the plains. It forms the border between the districts of Rautahat and Saralahi and passing through the district of Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga meets the Kosi at Behlahi, south-east of Kusesvarasthan. It has changed its course several times in the lower reaches. It formerly joined the Burhigandak near Rosera. Later it cut out a new bed for itself and joined the Tiljuga at Tilkesvar. When the Kosi in its westward swing swallowed up the Tiljuga, the Bagmati joined it near Tilkesvar. The Bagmati is called Siyari in Muzaffarpur and Kareha in Darbhanga. It receives on its right bank the Lalabakaya, the Lamakhola, the Chani and the Bhurengi. The Lalabakaya separates the district of Bara from that of Rautahat for about 20 miles, receives the stream Bake Khola on its right bank in the district of Bara, then flows through Rautahat and finally forms the border between the districts of Champaran and Muzaffarpur. The LamaKhola and the Chani run through the district of Rautahat. The Bhurengi is its affluent, which leaves the main stream in the district of Muzaffarpur and rejoins it a few miles below its junction with the Lakhandai. It receives on its left bank the Kokhajor Khola, the Marin Khola and the Kyan Khola in the hill district of Sindhuli Garhi and the Lakhandai and the Baghmati (Adhwara)in the plains. The Lakhandai (Laksmana) rises in the hills south-west of Sidhuli Garhi and flows through the districts of Saralahi and Muzaffarpur, touching the district of Darbhanga at its junction with the Bagmati. It rises and falls quickly and its current is rapid in the upper reaches. The Adhwara or Baghmati rises in the hills south of Sidhuli Garhi and flows in the districts of Saralahi, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga. It is known as Jhim is Saralahi. It also receives on its left bank a number of streams, the more important among them being the Madha, the Rato, the Bighi and the Jamuni. The Madha forms the border between Saralahi and Mahotari, meets the Rato south-east of Sursar and joins the Adhawara north-east of Pupri railway station. The Rato, the Bighi and the Jamuni flow in the district of Mahotari; the latter two unite into a single stream called Dhaus and join the Bagahmati (Adhwara) west of Benipatti.

The Kamala rises in the hills close to Sindhuli Garhi and flows south and then east forming the border between the districts of Sidhuli in the hills and Mahotari in the plains. It receives two important streams in the hills, the Tao from the north-east and the Baijnath (Vaidyanatha) Khola from the east. The three streams meet at Triveni, also known as Maini, and the united stream reaches the plains at Chisapani. It has a catchment of 1,200 square miles in the hills. Its course in the plains changes frequently. Its old beds are found all over the Madhubani and sadar subdivisions of Darbhanga. Its main stream to-day flows east of Jaynagar and falls into the Balan near Babubarhi, north-east of Rajnagar. One of its old channels, known as Jiwachh, leaves the main stream near Khajauli and flowing past Rajnagar, Madhubani, Pandaul and Tarsarai meets the Kosi near Jhamta. One branch, known as Patghat Kamala, crosses the railway line near Manigachhi and joins the Kosi north of Jhamta. An old stream of the Kamala flows west of Jaynagar and Madubani and east of Darbhanga (Gausaghat ) and joins the Bagamati a few miles to the west of the latter’s junction with the Kosi.

Old Kamala flowed west of Jaynagar and joined the Baghmati—Vyaghramati (infested with tigers) of the puranas, not to be confused with the Vagvati, popularly known as Bagmati, of Nepal and Muzaffarpur. The joint stream flows past Darbhanga on its left bank, known as either Kamala or Baghmati and falls into the Vagvati near Hayaghat.

The Balan rises in the hills south-west of Udaypur Garhi and reaches the plains at Mukhasari. It is known as Gagan Khola in the hills. It formerly joined the Tiljuga near Rasiary. It now receives the main stream of the Kamala near Babubarhi. The combined stream meets the Kosi south of Bhith Bhagwanpur.

The Bhutahi Balan rises south of Udaypur Garhi, crosses the railway line between Nirmali and Ghoghardiha and falls in the Kosi. The Tiljuga rises in the Mahabharat hills to the east of Udaypur Garhi and flows in the districts of Saptari and Saharsa. It falls into the Kosi a few miles north-east of Nirmali. It had formerly a course of 110 miles, a large part of which is now engulfed by the Kosi, It receives a number of small streams.

The Kosi has a catchment of 22,888 square miles. It rises in several streams spread in the Himalaya east of the Nepal valley and west of the Singalila range west of Darjiling. The main streams in the hills are the Sun Kosi, the Arun and the Tamur. The Sun Kosi and the Tamur derive their names from gold and copper found in their beds. The Sun Kosi rises in the hills on the border of Chautara and Ramechap, flows west and turns south at a point at which it receives the Bhoto Kosi from the north. Bhota Kosi is the name applied to a stream which flows from Tibet (Bhota) and joins the Kosi. There are three Bhot (Tibet) Kosis. One flows into the Sun Kosi, another into the Tamb Kosi and the third into the Dudh Kosi. The Sun Kosi is joined on its right the Balephi Khola from the north and Indravati from the north-west. The latter drains the eastern slopes of Gosainthan and higher peaks to the north of it. It receives the Rosi from the west at a place called Nepalthok and then takes a long course towards the east and south-east receiving from the north the Tamba Kosi, the Likhu Khola, the Maulung Khola, the Dudh Kosi and the Sapsup Khola. The Tamba Kosi itself is formed by two Tibetan streams, the Kang Chu flowing south and the Rongshar Chu flowing south-west, which unite to the west of the Gaurisankar peak; the united stream is called Bhota Kosi and is joined by the Rolwaling Khola, the Khare Khola and the Khimta Khola from the north-east. It is called Tamba Kosi in its lower reaches on account of copper found in its bed. The likhu Khola forms the border between Ramechap and Okhaldanga. The Dudh Kosi rises at a place called Dudh Pokhari, south-east of the Nangpa Parvat and southwest of the Chomo Kongmo (Everest) and receives a number of streams draining the southern slopes of the Chomo Longmo and the Nangpa Parvat. A Bhota Kosi joins it near Namche Bazar. The Dudh Kosi drains the entire Mahalangur Himal and its tributaries are spread in the whole of Okhaldanga. The Sapsup Khola forms a part of the border between Okhaldanga and Bhojpur. The Arun is known as Phung chu in Tibet and receives the Tibetan streams, the Kharta chu, the Karma chu and the Naktang chu. It separates Bhojpur from Dhankuta for about 40 miles. The Tamur rises to the west of the Kanchenjunga and drains all the hills from the Kanchenjunga in the east to the Umbhak Himal on the west, the Lumbasumba Himal forming the watershed between the Arun and the Tamur. The main tributaries of the Tamur are Mewa Khola from the west and the Sinbua Khola and the Kabeli from the east. The three rivers, the Sun Kosi, the Arun and the Tamur meet at Triveni and the united stream flows past Varahaksetra, three miles to the south of it, and comes to the plains at Chatra, four miles further downstream. The rapids from the hills deliver enormous amount of water, silt and sand at Triveni. Its maximum flow is estimated at 9,50,000 cusecs. Its maximum flow observed (1954) is 8,60,000 cusecs and minimum flow observed (1948) is 9,016 cusecs. Its average annual flow is 43 million acre feet. It emerges as a restless power and acquires all the features of a deltaic stream. It pursues its course in the plains in an ever widening bed and divides itself in many channels, shallow as well as deep, diverging at one place and reuniting at another. The bifurcation’s and interlacing split the country into a number of islands. Its bed is ten miles wide lower down on the plains. Swollen by melting snow and rainfall, it overflows its banks and spreads over twenty miles across. Its bed has ever been shifting from west to east and again from east to west, the limits being the Kamala in the west and the Mahanadi (Mahananda) in the east. In course of its oscillations it sweeps away farms and factories, roads and railways and turns fertile fields into waste. It carries with its current 55 million tons of sediment per annum. It deposits 37 million tons (691 million cubic feet ) of it on the banks of its channels. Its stream at present has a winding course of 170 miles from Chatra to Kursela where it joins the Ganga. Its old channels to the east of the main stream are the Dhemura, the Tilabe, the Paruame etc.

The Kali Kosi, an old channel of the Kosi, issues in the marshes in the north-western portion of the district of Puraniya and flowing to the west of Arariya, Puraniya and Katihar, joins the Ganga close to the west of Maniharighat. It has a course of 70 miles. Its tributary, the Saura also rises in a marsh and flowing past Puraniya meets it a few miles to the south of it.

The Panar rises from marshes in the north-west of Puraniya and is joined by two hill streams, the Singahi and the Bakra which with their numerous tributaries flow in Morang. It falls into the Ganga near the border between the districts of Puraniya and Malda.

The Mahanadi rises at the Mahaldiram hills to the east of Kurseong and debauching through a gorge runs in a subterranean stratum of sand for about four miles before coming into sight again. During the rainy season stream into a surface stream overflowing its bank. It flows into the Ganga at Godagri. It has a course of 220miles. Its tributaries on the western bank are the Kankai, the Mechi, the Buridangi, the Chenga and the Balasua.

The Ganga skirts Mithila in the south for about 220miles in its course eastward to the Bay of Bengal.

The main rivers in Mithila together have a course of 2,000 miles and a catchment of 60,000 square miles in the Himalayan mountains. Their hydro-electric potential is immense.

Most of the rivers rise in flood every year. Huge water received from rainfall is drained through a relatively small area in the plain. Silt deposited by the current blocks some of the channels. The steep rise in the north hastens the flow to the southern part. The Ganga swollen under heavy load of drainage slows down movement of water southwards. The impact of floods has increased on accouunt of the removal of forests in the plains and the hills. Devastation caused by them is enormous. In 1954 an area of 10,000 square miles with 8,000 villages and a population of 70,00,000 was affected by the floods in the districts of Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Puraniya, North Munger and North Bhagalpur; 50,000 houses and crops over 40,00,000 acres were damaged; 63 persons died;1,200 heads of cattle were lost. The total loss was officially estimated at Rs. 50crores. If we add the loss in the seven tarai Districts, the figure will go still higher. In 22 out of 62 years between 1894-95 and 1955-56 Mithila has been subjected to famine or acute scarcity due to drought. We have floods in some parts and drought in other or flood stricken area suffering from drought later on. Even a conservative estimate would put the average annual loss due to floods and drought at Rs. 50 crores.

Our rivers are almost untapped for irrigation and hydro-electricity. The only canal worth the name is the Triveni in Champaran. Constructed at a total cost of Rs. 81,58,407 fifty years ago it irrigated 1,30,249 acres. The capital expenses of irrigation per acre would be Rs. 63 /- which is a very low figure even after making allowance for rise in prices during the period. In response to public demand the Governor General Lord Wavell ordered in 1945 an investigation of the Kosi for its control and development. The Central Waterways Irrigation Navigation Commission (CWINC) in consultation with American, British and French experts prepared a multipurpose project for flood control, irrigation and hydro-electricity. The scheme provided for reclaiming 3,48,000 acres of permanently inundated land and freeing 9,32,000 acres from yearly flooding, irrigation 34,00,000 acres on both the banks and generating 18,00,000 KW of hydel power at a total cost of Rs. 177,00,00,000. This project was not taken up for want of funds as the Government said. Instead work was started on the Bhakhra-Nangal (Rs. 130 crores ) in the Panjab, the Hirakud (Rs. 92 crores) in Orissa and the Damodar (Rs. 75 crores) in Jharkhand and Bengal. An irrigation project for the Gandak was prepared by the Government of Bihar. This scheme would free 1,80,000 acres of land from flood, irrigate 23,00,000 acres and generate 20,000 kw of hydel power at a total cost of Rs. 25,00,00,000. If modern techniques of river control are employed, we will get rid of floods and drought, increase the yield from our land and have power for running our industries. But no such comprehensive scheme is under way. A programme of flood control was, however, started in 1954. It comprises construction of embankments on both the banks of the Burhigandak , the Bagmati, the Kamla and the Kosi. Experts have expressed doubt over the advisability of these measures. Dams and storage reservoirs, they say, are essential for river control. They also emphasize opening of navigable drainage channels and digging canals as an alternative to the embankments. The Kosi embankments under construction would protect 20,00,000 acres of land from floods and leave 3,00,000 acres between the two under floods permanently. The present Kosi project involving an estimated cost of Rs. 46,00,00,000 also includes construction of canals on the eastern bank for irrigation 15,00,000 acres and generation of 20,000 KW of hydel power. Most of the above information has taken from the book “Wealth of Mithila” 1957 of Late Dr. Lakshminarayan Sinha.