Irrigation officials fear trouble during land acquisition

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Nov. 26: A section of irrigation officials fear they may have to face a problem while surveying the land required to prepare a proposal for land acquisition to finalise the alignment of the proposed 5-km-long ninth retired embankment in Kaliachak II Block due to the Nandigram issue. “Following the issue common people can easily raise their voices against land acquisition proposals for agricultural lands. This area would not be an exceptional one,” a senior engineer said. Prior to the Nandigram issue the district administration could not acquire agricultural land and mango orchards in erosion hit areas Kaliachak II for the construction of the same embankment, keeping a safe distance of 1,200 metres from the bank line of the Ganges, the engineer recalled. The ninth retired embankment was imperative after the eight one was eroded. Mainly villagers of Panchanandapur and Bangitola in Kaliachak II had objected to the land acquisition though the political leaders agreed to build an embankment for protection against flood when the district magistrate called an all party political meeting. It may be noted that leaders including the then Malda MP, ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury and other district leaders were present at Bangitola village but they could not convince the villagers in favour of the embankment which was in the interest of the people of Malda. No political leader wanted to go against the villagers’ protests ahead of parliamentary election 2005. But the Malda irrigation executive engineer Mr Soumen Misra is confident, they would be able to convince the people of Bangitola shortening the safe distance from 1,200 metres to 700 metres between the bank line of the Ganges and alignment of the proposed embankment. “Considering past experiences regarding land acquisition here, I have proposed the district magistrate to call an all party meeting. Following the administrative decision and resolution adopted at the meeting we would proceed for land survey to acquire land, submitting proposal for the land acquisition,” Mr Misra said. "No date has been finalised for the meeting," he added. It may be noted that the state irrigation and waterways department has sanctioned Rs 7.48 crore for the construction of night retired embankment on the left bank of the Ganges for flood protection and it has been instructed to submit estimated plans after finalising its alignment so that the department can finish the work before monsoon.