Midnapore anti-flood dredging halted by land disputes

19 November 2012

biswabrata goswami
MIDNAPORE, 19 NOV: The much-acclaimed dredging of canals of the Keleghai-Kapaleswari-Bagui river scheme, which was held up for years, has been stopped for the past few days as contractors are reportedly facing resistance from residents claiming compensation for their land.
Contractors have lodged a complaint with the East Midnapore Zilla Parishad, urging it to take the necessary steps so they can continue dredging canals linked with the Keleghai, Kapaleswari and Bagui rivers.
"The demarcation of government lands on both sides of canals has not been completed, leading to disputes with local residents, who often claim they have held the land for years. They also prevent us from carrying soil over their land," the complaint read.
Mr Mamud Hossain, saha-sabhadhipati of the zilla-parishad, said: "Problems crept up as local residents put up resistance when the contractors went to start their work at different areas along the rivers. Concerned about this problem, I have already sent letters to the secretary of state irrigation department and the district magistrate to take urgent step so that the dredging works are not stopped."
In the 2010 budget, the Centre had allocated Rs 650 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 in West Midnapore and East Midnapore, to improve the drainage basin of  Kapaleswari, Keleghai, Bagui and Chandia rivers, which is affected by devastating floods every year. 
"It is likely to be completed in three years, but recent disputes may disrupt the project work," said Mr Tarun Kanti Das, a complainant.
According to state irrigation department officials, seven blocks in the two districts ~ Sabong, Narayangarh, Danton I and Danton II in West Midnapore, and 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, the Kapaleswari, Chandia, Bagui and Deuli will be dredged and 14 channels including the Amrakhali, Kalimadhab, Sundarpur and Mirzapur will be repaired. The estimated cost of the first phase of the project is around Rs 158 crore. 
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.