Anti-erosion work to start in Malda

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Aug. 19: The irrigation department has planned to resume anti- erosion work at Kesharpur in Bhutni Diara, an island in the Ganga in Manikchak block, from tomorrow to save the circuit embankment which is on the brink of extinction due to erosion. The decision was taken yesterday when more than ten people including panchayat members met the executive engineer and apologised for stopping the on going anti erosion work there. When a group of villagers protested against the on going work raising the question of efficacy, the executive engineer Mr Soumen Misra decided to stop the work and wind up departmental team from the spot. After informing the matter to the departmental authorities and district magistrate the executive engineer explained the situation as ‘problem of extortion’ where some touts demanded ‘cut money’ from the contractor. The executive engineer yesterday warned the local villagers and political leaders, who came to request him to resume the work, that the department would not execute another road project for Bhutni in future if they try to stall the anti erosion scheme. The irrigation and waterways department has allotted Rs 3 crore for the construction of a road on the circuit embankment. Out of 27 km circuit embankment, the department had completed 13 km road atop the circuit embankment. Recently the department has allotted Rs. 3 crore for the rest 14 km embankment. According to the irrigation department, the flood situation remains unchanged. The water level of the three main rivers are still on a rising trend inundating large parts of unprotected areas on their banks. The water level of the Ganga is 25.17 metres , just 12 cms below the ‘extreme danger level’ ( EDL- 25.29 metres) at 6 a.m today at Manikchak Ghaat. The river Fulohar is flowing 29 cms above the EDL (28.35 metres) and Mahananda is flowing above 20.35 metres. An alert has been given to the people of the protected areas on the bank of the Fulohar and red signal is on for the people of unprotected areas on the bank of Ganga, said Mr Soumen Misra , the executive engineer.