Minister not happy with FBP's anti-erosion work

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug. 8: Mr Sailen Sarkar, the state parliamentary affairs minister, has said that a team comprising 25 members of state Assembly would leave for New Delhi this week to discuss the severe flood and erosion problems here and put forward a proposal for more fund allotment for the state to tackle this menace. Mr Sarkar also expressed his unhappiness over the anti-erosion work being carried out by the Farakka Barrage Project along the left bank of the Ganges in Kaliachak II. It was learnt that Mr Sailen Sarkar had planned to submit a copy of the suggestions made by the district officials and experts, including the general manager of the FBP, Mr MU Gani, on the present situation of the Ganges and the issue of anti- erosion measures executed, but general manager of the FBP allegedly did not put his signature in the minutes. Mr MU Gani reportedly complained about the problem of staff shortage and fund crunch standing in the way of executing further anti-erosion works along the left bank of the river Ganges in Malda. Mr Gani’s statement has also been noted down in the minutes. Local villagers, on the other hand, fear onslaught of fresh erosion along the left banks of the Ganges because of alleged improper maintenance of the anti-erosion works executed in the region last year. The GM of FBP, Mr Gani, has however, assured villagers that the left bank of the Ganges would remain intact and no further erosion would ake place here.It may be recalled that the FBP general manager, Mr Gani, was heckled by the villagers at Ramlaltola, when he had visited the erosion-affected zone few day ago. The villagers were reportedly irked as a large portion of anti-erosion work carried out by FBP here had been gobbled up recently. Sources said that anti-erosion work was carried out along the 1.5 km stretch on the left bank of the Ganges in Kaliachak II by the state irrigation department last year, but allegedly proper maintenance was not taken up here by concerned authorities. Similarly, nearly anti-erosion work on 1.8 km stretch completed by FBP authorities here last year is lying in a neglected state.This year, the FBP authorities had taken up over 2 km-long fresh bank line protection work downstream starting from the end point of the earlier work.Local villagers here are spending sleepless nights fearing fresh erosion to hit the shores anytime.