Babai river erosion puts five Gulariya villages at risk

Fresh erosion along the Babai river has placed five villages in Gulariya Municipality-10, Bardiya district, at high risk. Rising water levels triggered the erosion on Tuesday, and residents now fear a major flood could inundate settlements and destroy farmland if immediate measures are not taken.

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As soon as a major flood hits, erosion will worsen, and the entire area could face inundation. The concerned authorities must immediately build the embankment in this area.

The intensified erosion has occurred at a site where embankment construction near the Nepal-India border was halted after objections from the Indian side. The then Babai, Bhada and Aurahi River Management Office in Bardiya noted this halt as a reason for the river changing course. Farmer Dipak Chaudhary expressed concern, stating, “As soon as a major flood hits, erosion will worsen, and the entire area could face inundation. The concerned authorities must immediately build the embankment in this area.”

Further complicating flood control, the southern embankments built by the river management office are also threatened. A planned embankment project was relocated to Dadeldhura last year, disrupting ongoing efforts. The Irrigation and Water Resource Management Project in Rajapur is now responsible, but its chief, Sudin Muktan, stated he had not received official information about the erosion. He acknowledged that the Rajapur contact office's responsibility might be overlooked, leading to a lack of communication.

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Many people are unaware that the Rajapur contact office of the former Babai, Bhada and Aurahi River Management Office is responsible for the work. That may be why we were not informed about the Babai river erosion.

Local farmers have already lost significant land to the river. Jagdish Lodha reported that over 40 bighas of cultivable land have been washed away in the past seven years. With the monsoon season continuing until October, the threat to farmland remains acute. Raghubir Mallah criticized the government's decision to shift the project before completion, saying, “The government made a serious mistake by shifting the Babai, Bhada and Aurahi River Management Project before completing its work. Now we do not know when or who will build the embankment. Until support comes, the river may have already swept away our fields.” The villages, reliant on agriculture, have long demanded a permanent embankment.

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The government made a serious mistake by shifting the Babai, Bhada and Aurahi River Management Project before completing its work. Now we do not know when or who will build the embankment. Until support comes, the river may have already swept away our fields.