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Journalism of Courage
Kosi barrage, the borderline between India and Nepal, may have lost its relevance by no longer being the custodian of 20 lakh cusecs of water, but it can still be a proud witness to humanity ignoring geographical boundaries.
With extreme flooding caused by the Kosi breach displacing millions of people on both sides, many families of India have crossed over to Nepal for relief.
Flood victims from Supaul near Birpur, for instance, have found shelter in relief camps being run by the Nepal Government and Unicef in that country. They said since the camps there had become overcrowded and chaotic, they chose to move to Nepal for “better relief”.
Ramtahal Mehta, a resident of Rampur village under Basantpur block of Supaul, said: “It was a matter of survival. We know little about boundaries.” Lalji Mandal from Bhimnagar has been living in a camp in Nepal since August 22. “We get two meals here. The tarpaulin is good enough to protect us from rains.”
A team of Medicins Sans Frontieres has been taking good care of flood victims complaining of allergy, fever and bodyache.
Several other Bihari families have also been staying with their Nepali relatives at camps near the east embankment of Kosi, part of which was breached on August 18.
Rambahadur Khanga, a resident of Sripur village (now washed away) in Nepal, said they had no problems with Bihar flood victims sharing space with them. “We have to help each other in times as these. Let us be just humans now,” said Khanga.
