Irrigation dept takes up 'permanent reconstruction' of embankments damaged due to Amphan

Kolkata: The state Irrigation and Waterways department is now going all out for permanent reconstruction of embankments that got damaged during Super Cyclone Amphan.

The work for the first phase worth Rs 114 crore has been sanctioned and it will be carried out in East Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas to benefit around 1 lakh people.

The department had earlier carried out temporary repairing work of around 125 km embankment at different locations to provide immediate relief to the residents to those areas and to ensure that the situation does not worsen further. "But this is the first time when permanent reconstruction of the Amphan-affected embankments is going to take place," said a senior official of the state government adding that around 170 km of embankment was damaged in the Super Cyclone.

Recently, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned 24 different projects under its Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) that will take place in eight districts — Malda, Birbhum, Bankura, East and West Midnapore, Jhargram, North and South 24-Parganas, including 14 projects for permanent reconstruction of embankments in the Amphan-affected districts. The 24 projects are worth Rs 413 crore.

The permanent reconstruction of embankments will be carried out at 14 different locations in the three districts and it includes a major portion of the Sunderbans.

The locations where the work will be carried out include Gobardhanpur, Sumatinagar, Bankimnagar, banks of Raimangal river at Gosaba and embankments along river Barchara river at Ramganga in Patharpratima and in South 24-Parganas.

It will also be carried out along the left bank of Dansa river at Bainara in Hingalganj, Sitalia, Madhabkati at Sandeshkhali, embankments along Kalindi river at Samsernagar in Hingalganj, banks of Bidyadhari river at Baunia Abad mouza at Nazat in North 24-Parganas.

In East Midnapore, the work of permanent reconstruction of embankments will be carried out along Rasulpur river at Khejuri, Haldi river at Nandigram, river Hooghly at Panchuriya in Khejuri.

At the same time, the coastal protection work will be carried out at Gopalpur Bhogpur in East Midnapore. Similar work will also be taken up at the remaining stretches between Shankarpur and Digha Mohana.

"Soon, tenders will be floated for the same. But the project will start after the monsoon in September and by then the job allocation process will also get completed," the official added.