Nitish lays foundation for three projects worth Rs 88.9cr in Sitamarhi

SITAMARHI: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday laid foundation stones of three projects worth Rs88.9 crore at Sonbarsa in Sitamarhi district.
Schemes incurring an outlay of Rs19.9 crore are meant for de-siltation and restoring the old course of river Laxmana, also known as Lakhandei - a tributary of river Bagmati, which originates in the Shivalik Hills in Nepal and enters through Pitambarpur village in Sitamarhi.

"Lakhandei will be restored to its previous course at a cost of Rs 20 crore. It will benefit Sonebarsa, Bathnaha, Sitamarhi, Runni Saidpur blocks in Sitamarhi. The restoration will be done by desilting and removal of encroachment on the river bed," said the water resources minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.

Another scheme, incurring an outlay of Rs14 crore for linking several channels to river Manushamara, was also opened as the river is filled with silt. A sum of Rs 55 crore will be spent on erecting embankments on river Ratu, a tributary of Adhawara group of rivers- from Nepal border to Nisha village.

“The mythical river Laxmana alias Lakhandei will emerge in her form after the revival of old (dhara) course,” the CM said while addressing a public meeting at Dularpur Ghat village under Khap-Khopraha panchayat in Sitamarhi on Thursday.

Sitamarhi town is situated on the banks of river Laxmana alias Lakhandei. However, the river changed her course around 20 years ago and became a tributary of the Jhim-Jhamura (Adhwara group) river. Each year during the rainy season, the river inundates more than 100 villages owing to its new course.

Prominent among others who addressed the meet included deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, water resource minister Lalan Singh, urban development minister Suresh Kumar Sharma, MPs Ram Kumar Sharma, Rama Devi, SP Hari Prasath S, former minister and MLC Devesh Chandra Thakur, former minister Sunil Kumar Pintu, former MP Nawal Kishore Rai, MLAs, MLCs, PP Arun Kumar Singh.