Bihar’s flood and waterlogging situation continues to affect residents across several areas, with water reaching homes, roads and agricultural fields. In Begusarai’s Chhaurahi block, residents of Rajopur Ward No. 1 in Aijni panchayat staged a symbolic protest by cutting a ribbon and a cake on a waterlogged road and declaring it a “swimming pool” to draw the administration’s attention to the long-standing drainage problem.
The residents said the event was not a celebration but a form of protest against the prolonged waterlogging and lack of a permanent drainage arrangement. Local reports said several stretches of the paved road in Rajopur Ward No. 1 had accumulated knee-deep water after rainfall. Motorbike silencers were reportedly getting submerged, while children, women, elderly people and other pedestrians were forced to pass through the water.
According to the villagers, around 500 people have been affected by the waterlogging and nearly 50 houses are facing the possibility of water entering their premises.
Residents symbolically treated the waterlogged road as a “swimming pool” and cut a cake as part of the protest. They said that when water is not removed from the road for a long period, it is better to consider it a swimming pool. The demonstration was intended to publicly highlight their difficulties and question the responsible departments over the lack of a permanent solution.
The prolonged accumulation of water has also raised health concerns. Residents said stagnant water increases the number of mosquitoes and can increase the risk of mosquito-borne and water-borne diseases. They also raised concerns about the presence of snakes and scorpions. Continued movement through water can create additional difficulties for children and elderly people.
According to residents, the problem is not limited to one or two days of waterlogging. They said the drainage issue has existed for a long time, with water accumulating on the road and surrounding areas after rainfall and remaining there because of inadequate drainage.
Amid the flood-affected conditions, actress Pakhi visited people affected by the situation and became emotional after seeing their circumstances. Families surrounded by floodwater, villagers struggling with waterlogging and people facing difficulties in meeting their daily needs were among the situations that affected her.
During floods, families whose homes remain surrounded by water for extended periods face difficulties even with normal movement. The situation can become particularly difficult for households with young children, elderly people or sick members.
The condition of flood-affected areas can affect daily activities, including access to markets, hospitals, schools and other essential locations. In several places, people have to pass through water even to obtain necessary supplies.
The flood situation in Bihar is taking different forms across several districts, with river water levels and backwater affecting various areas. In some places, Ganga water has reached agricultural fields, while in others, local rivers and inadequate drainage have resulted in water accumulating in villages and on roads.
In Nalanda’s Sarmera Tal area, the Ganga’s backwater has also affected farmers. According to a recent report, around 200 bighas of paddy crop in the areas of Pendi and Purani Isua villages had been submerged in water up to five feet.
The situation in this area shows that the impact of flooding is not confined to villages located directly along rivers. Ganga backwater can spread into low-lying areas and affect agricultural fields. While the water level of several local rivers in the district had subsided, returning Ganga water increased difficulties for farmers in the Sarmera Tal area.
Flooding and waterlogging can affect the livelihoods of farmers and rural families. When agricultural fields are inundated, the risk of crop damage increases. Farmers have already spent money on seeds, fertilisers, labour, ploughing and transplantation. Crop submergence can therefore affect both the agricultural investment already made and expected future income.
Farmers in Sarmera, Nalanda, have demanded a survey of crop damage and appropriate compensation. At the local level, there has also been a demand for an assessment of the affected areas by the administration.
Later reports from the Sarmera area of Nalanda indicated a further deterioration in conditions. According to a report dated September 11, water levels in the fields of Pendi, Sadha and Purani Isua had reached 8 to 10 feet, while more than 350 bighas of paddy crop were reportedly submerged.
In view of the risk to zamindari embankments, the administration directed that sandbags be placed at vulnerable locations and that 24-hour monitoring be maintained.
The developments also indicate that flood conditions can change rapidly. Water levels may appear to decline in one area while backwater or pressure on an embankment increases elsewhere. Continuous local monitoring and timely action are therefore required.
For residents of Rajopur in Begusarai, the immediate demand is for relief from waterlogging and a permanent drainage arrangement. Villagers said that if roads become submerged after every spell of rainfall, temporary measures alone will not be sufficient.
They have called for organised drainage through drains, culverts and other water-disposal arrangements so that similar waterlogging does not recur.
The protest involving ribbon-cutting and cake-cutting was a symbolic expression of the residents’ difficulties over prolonged waterlogging. The demonstration brought attention to the demand for a permanent solution to the drainage problem.
Across Bihar, flooding is appearing in different forms: river water is reaching villages in some areas, agricultural fields are being submerged in others, while roads are becoming waterlogged because of rainfall and inadequate drainage. The situation therefore involves not only river water levels but also local drainage systems, embankments, rural roads and low-lying areas.
The challenges before the administration and concerned departments include removing water from affected areas, ensuring people’s safety and assessing crop damage suffered by farmers. Areas with rising water levels require continuous monitoring, while locations with prolonged waterlogging require attention to health, sanitation and drainage.
The experiences of flood-affected people and the protest by villagers in Begusarai highlight the effects of flooding and waterlogging on homes, health, livelihoods, agriculture and daily life. Residents are seeking not only immediate relief but also a permanent drainage solution.
