Flood preventive plans put on hold

Statesman News Service

MALDA, March 4: No major plan for flood prevention measures on the left bank of the Ganga has been taken up this year.

The minister for irrigation and waterways Mr Subhas Naskar held a meeting with the district administration in August 2008. He asked the DM to build the proposed ninth retired embankment on the left bank of the Ganga, a measure designed to save five blocks in Kaliachak II and the adjoining belt.

The district administration, however, convened an all-party meeting six months later, on 2 March, to take the initiative in building the proposed ninth retired embankment after the monsoon.

It was also decided that district officials including irrigation engineers and political leaders would jointly inspect the site on 14 March to assess the issue of land acquisition for the construction of the embankment.

However, in accordance with the Code of Conduct for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, this programme has been automatically cancelled.

The administration had finally decided that irrigation officials would survey the area to prepare the scheme. They would then send a proposal for the required land and the alignment for building the embankment to the land acquisition department.

At the meeting on 2 March, irrigation officials proposed building the embankment at least 600-700 metres inside the bank line of the Ganga to avoid eroding the newly constructed bundh. Political leaders refused to accept the proposed alignment but finally agreed to accept a distance of 100 to 300 metres. Irrigation officials agreed they would endeavour to construct the embankment on otherwise unutilised land, avoiding fertile and homestead land.

“We have to depend on the existing dwarf embankment and other existing ones to prevent flood waters this year. We will be able to begin work after the monsoon," said Mr Soumen Misra, executive engineer, Malda irrigation department.

“The irrigation department in Malda has started anti-erosion work on the bank of the Mahananda and other rivers along the Indo-Bangladesh border for the protection of Indian land and barbed wire fencing. The project will cost an estimated Rs 34 crore to complete”, Mr Misra added. (END)