Canal-dredging in progress on war footing in Midnapore

3 July 2012

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 3 JULY: The dredging of canals of Keleghai-Kapaleswari-Bagui river scheme which had been held up for years is proceeding on a war footing. It is likely to be completed in three years.
The state irrigation minister, Dr Manas Bhuniya, who had inspected the dredging work recently at several canals in West Midnapore, said: “The dredging of 14 canals adjoining the Keleghai, Kopaleswari, Bagui and Chandia rivers flowing through West and East Midnapore will be completed in three years.”
In the 2010 budget, the Centre had allocated Rs 650.38 crore for the project but the state irrigation department started the project this year. The Cabinet also approved the acquisition of nearly 1,675 acres of land spread over West and East Midnapore for improving the drainage basin of  Kapaleswari-Keleghai-Baghai and Chandia rivers, which is affected by devastating floods every year.
Criticising the Left Front government for not executing the work though the Centre had allocated Rs 650 crore two years ago, Dr Bhuniya said: “Two years have been lost in the five-year project to dredge 650 km of canals which will now have to be completed in three years.”
According to state irrigation department officials, seven blocks in the two districts ~ Sabong, Narayangarh, Danton I and II in West Midnapore as well as Bhagwanpur and Potashpur in East Midnapore ~ are flood-prone. The four rivers together span across 2,145 sq km of which 650 sq km lies in the flood- prone area.
In the first phase, rivers like Kapaleswari, Chandia, Bagui and Deuli will be dredged and as many as 14 channels like Amrakhali, Kalimadhab, Sundarpur and Mirzapur will also be repaired. The estimated cost of the project in the first phase is around Rs 158 crore.
According to plans the state irrigation department will dredge 16 to 24 km of  Chandia river. The Kapaleswari will be dredged 2 to 20.25 km, Deuli 9.1 km and Bagui will be dredged from 16 to 24 km.
Besides, the right embankment of Bagui river that stretches from 7.5 to 12.65 km will also be constructed during the first phase.
Hundreds of flood victims under the banner of the Undivided Midnapore Khara-Bannya-Bhangan Pratirodh Committee recently staged a demonstration outside the office of the superintendent engineer demanding speedy implementation of the Keleghai-Kapaleswari-Bagui river scheme.
This is an annual feature of the twin districts for over decades caused by the Keleghai-Kapaleswari-Bagui and Kangsabati rivers and results in misery for millions.
The agitators also demanded the implementation of the Ghatal Master Plan, Soadighi, Gangakhali, Pyratungi and Denan Dehati drainage schemes as soon as possible.