New Delhi, October 9
India and Nepal have constituted a joint technical group to prepare a comprehensive strategy for flood control and adopted a masterplan on flood warning.

The two-day meeting of India-Nepal Joint Committee on Water Resources (JCWR), which concluded here yesterday, felt that mutual collaboration in development of hydropower in Nepal would bring immense economic benefits to the two countries. The meeting of joint committee was held after four years.

In view of severity of floods this year in Bihar and UP, the technical group on flood control had been asked to submit an interim report within three months to cover vulnerable areas along rivers in both countries. The group had also been asked to suggest long-term measures. Nearly 240 big and small rivers flow from Nepal into India.

As part of long-term measures for flood control, India and Nepal agreed to consider technical options including reservoir schemes for Kamala and Bagmati rivers. They said reforestation and conservation measures in Shivalik Hills in Nepal would be useful in flood control.

The two sides also moved forward on issues relating to preparation of detailed project report concerning 5,600 MW Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project. It was decided to constitute a small team of experts from both countries to submit a report by January next year on outstanding issues regarding the detailed project report. India conveyed that consultant for the implementation of the Tanakpur-Mahendranagar link road would be appointed shortly and an agency for preparing detailed project report for 600 MW Burhi Gandaki project would be appointed soon. The MoU for the execution of 300 MW Upper Karnali Hydropower Project in Nepal was also discussed between the officials of
the two sides.

The committee felt that recent opening of India-assisted joint project office in Nepal for field investigations on Sapt Kosi high dam and Sun Kosi storage-cum-diversion projects would help in flood control and in boosting irrigation and navigation potential.