Statesman News Service
MALDA, July 24: Farraka Barrage Project, a Central government unit, which was given the charge of executing anti-erosion work at Bhutni Diara in Manikchak block, has officially handed over this task to the state government, officials said today. Earlier, the state irrigation officials allegedly refrained from executing anti-erosion work at Bhutni Diara because they claimed the region was under the jurisdiction of the FBP. It may be recalled that this 40 km long bank-line of the Ganges here was initially under the supervision of the state irrigation division but was handed over to the FBP later to execute anti-erosion work. But the FBP authorities recently stated the entire stretch lay beyond its jurisdiction and requested the state government to take up the work. Experts believe Bhutni Diara Island is primarily responsible for causing diversions in the course of Ganges in this belt. This results in creating erosion problem along the 35 km bank line of the river. This year, the FBP took up anti-erosion work on a two-km long stretch of the bank line at Panchanandapur in Kaliachak II area, spending over Rs 15 crore in the process. Studying the trend of rising water level of the Ganges at Manikchak Ghaat and Farakka, engineers fear the erosion problem may get aggravated along the bank line in vulnerable zones like Panchanandapur and its downstream region, Sultantola in Kaliachak II. A part of an embankment at Shimultala in Kaliachak III eroded away due to fresh flood in the Ganges yesterday. Commenting on embankment erosion at Shimultala, the general manager of FBP, Mr MU Gani said: “ It was only the nose of an old railway embankment, which was built before 1960 that got eroded away yesterday. There is no reason to worry. We will restore it soon. It was not due to river erosion.” “The water level of the Ganges at Manikchak Ghaat was 23.28 metres today, which is still below the danger level,” district irrigation officials said.
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