The Commission was asked to give its report in just six months but there is no scope of panel coming out with its report in the near future.

Among other things the Commission, constituted on September 10, 2008, was to probe the cause of the breach in the Eastern Kosi embankment in Kusaha in Nepal on August 18 of
that year.

According to reports the secretary of the Commission, Ram Shobhit Paswan, has written a letter to the Home Secretary of Bihar stating that it would start its hearing now. He demanded the service of a retired or sitting judge and two lawyers to cross-examine the witnesses. Besides, it also sought the appointment of a stenographer.

As per the information procured by Right to Information activist, Mahendra Yadav, till now Rs 70.41 lakh has been spent on the Commission.
Of this Rs 9.72 lakh has been spent on travelling and Rs 3.46 lakh on fuel of the vehicle.

The Commission has started seeking the help of flood experts. So far 45 sittings have taken place in Patna.
Though former Chief Justice of Patna High Court, Rajesh Walia has been quoted in the media as saying that the department is fully cooperating with the Commission the facts available on Commission’s website said that 16 different letters were written by Commission between May 24, 2009 and January 13, 2011, asking information related to six points. But the Commission has not got any information. Hence the secretary of the Commission has written another letter no. 1/J.I.C.-02-08-40, dated February 24, 2011 to Water Resource Department’s (WRD) Principal Secretary.

First time the term of Commission was extended on April 07, 2009 for one year. It got another extension on March 09, 2010. It got another extension till September 30, 2011.

The Commission has recruited 12 staff and has a full-fledged office yet not a single public hearing has taken place so far.

Talking to BiharTimes Satya Narayan Madan, a noted social activist of Patna, said the Commission would reveal ‘motivated truth’ rather than probe a series of incidents which led to such huge disaster.

Comment

comments...

This comment refers to judicial commission to enquire Kosi deluge in eastern Bihar. It is indeed sad that destruction and loss of thousands of human live in Kosi rampage because of breach in eastern Kosi embankment in Kusaha (Nepal) in 2008 is continue to be a mystery. The judicial enquiry , constituted by the Nitish government to enquire into the causes of breach and loss of human loss and huge property in Saharsa, Purnia, Madhepura, Ararai, Kishanganj,Khagaria, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur districts under Justice Balia is yet to begin even formal functioning even after the lapse of over three years. Sadly, thousands of people in these districts had become shelter less and their property and cattle lives were washed in the swirling waters. Besides death over 5000 persons in the affected areas. Much hue and cry was made initially-but the government had started Skelton relief work for rehabilitation of the people! Aids and assistances were rushed from different parts of the country and globe for relief and rehabilitation of affected people-even after that nothing tangible appeared and people continue to suffer in the last three years.Surpringly over Rs 18 lakhs have been spent on the functioning of the commission in the last three years-but even posts for taking oral and written submissions from the spot of affected people are yet to begin. This is sad tales of the functioning of Nitish Kumar government in the last six years! Moreover, crores of rupees, received in the chief minister relief fund were unutilised partially. As per reply of the CM secretariat under Right to Information Act, over Rs ten crores are yet to be utilized -this reply was given under right to information in 2010 by the CM secretariat to a  RTI activist last year. Further reply of the state government about judicial probe status in the enquiry into Kosi deluge matter to a RTI activist has further exposed the Nitish government. Only Almighty and Nitish will know when the enquiry into Kosi deluge will begin and submit report to fix responsibility in the breach in the embankment, ruining over a dozen districts, in wake of breach besides loss of human, animal, property loss estimation because of devastating floods! Moreover the commission has been allowed two extensions so far for one year each. The report was to be submitted within one year. Strangely, not even a single public hearing has been conducted by the commission in the last about three years! Nitish must reply for such huge delay in starting the enquiry and own responsibility for poor accountability of his government at least on this score!

K K Singh, journalist, retired as chief reporter and based at Patna.