KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Water Minister Barshaman Pun has directed  officials to start preparing for talks with India over inundation problems faced mainly in the Terai region.

Nepal is  facing the problem of inundation during monsoon season and hundreds of lives have been lost in the past.

In a meeting on late Friday afternoon, Pun directed officials to prepare for Nepal-India Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management (JCIFM) where the issue of flooding will be raised.

“Due to the inundation, the Terai region is facing a problem. We would need to call on Indian sides to resolve on the problem created on by the dams constructed on their side by calling on the meeting of JCIFM. Start preparations for it,” the Minister said.

Nepal and India have been holding on the meeting of JCIFM annually on November but the Ministry has started on preparations to inform the Indian side with immediate effect after receiving a direct order from the Minister.

“Annual meeting is held in the month of November but this time we have got the direct order from Minister, so we will be informing the Indian side with immediate effect,” said Rabindrathan Shrestha, Secretary at the ministry.

The Joint Commission formed by India and Nepal to discuss on the issue will be led by Director General of Nepal’s Irrigation Department Madhukar Prasad Rajbhandari.

Earlier this week, Nepal’s Minister for Home Affairs had said that India for the inundation of Terai region during the annual monsoon season.

Earlier this week, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said India for constructing structures along the border, which blocked the flow of water and resulted in inundation of various places of the country.