Probe utilisation of funds given for rebuilding embankments: CM

kolkata: Expressing her resentment over the damage of recently constructed embankments after last year's Amphan, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an enquiry by the state Finance department into the utilisation of fund released to carry out different works of the state Irrigation and Waterways department including the reconstruction of the embankments.

She has also ordered the setting up of a task force to monitor the tendering and execution processes of the works to be carried out by the Irrigation and Waterways department and the state PWD before releasing funds for any project.

"I would ask the Finance department to find out the embankments that were repaired after Amphan and what percentage of the same got damaged," she said, adding that how can the state government bear such "useless expense" when it needs to spend crores to combat Covid.

"There was a report of embankments along river Bidyadhari getting damaged on Thursday as well. A stretch of embankment and beautification work at Digha have also been completely damaged. Why did it happen? The embankment was constructed just after cyclone Amphan in 2020 and the beautification work was just two to two-and-a-half-year old. Was the foundation work not done properly? Then how come it has been damaged so soon? Let the Finance department inquire into it," Banerjee said, displeased with the progress of work as Additional Chief Secretary of the department Naveen Prakash said that the embankment at Digha was washed away as it was under-construction and the work was half done when the cyclone hit the state.

"How does it take so much time to construct embankments along Bidyadhari? Do all of you monitor the work, why does it take so much time? What was the deadline to complete the construction of three bridges? I was told that the work is on whenever I enquired and none other than the Irrigation department is implementing it," Banerjee said.

She added it was not her lookout who is executing the work. "No one has the right to delay any project. Whoever it may be, why the work will not get completed on time?" she roared when she was told that Mackintosh Burn was carrying out the work of the bridges.

"I would like to tell all the departments to utilise money very carefully and logically," she further added.

She once again directed to plant vetiver grass on temporary embankments to avoid its erosion and take suggestions of senior IAS officer PB Salim who had first implemented it in Nadia.

A task force has been set up to verify project details before releasing any fund to Irrigation and PWD departments.

A separate inquiry has also been initiated by the state Irrigation and Waterways department to find out the cause behind the damage of embankments at Digha.

A technical team comprising officers of the department will visit the site at Digha on Friday.There was a high-level meeting of the department headed by its minister Saumen Mahapatra at Jalasampad Bhavan to assess the damage caused by the cyclone to the embankments.

The issue of embankments getting damaged within a short time after its construction had cropped up in the meeting and an inquiry has been ordered.

At the same time steps have also been taken to initiate the reconstruction of sea–dykes and embankments, those damaged due to the cyclone Yaas, on an immediate basis. As per the department's primary assessment there was damage to sea-dykes and embankments worth Rs 157 crores.

Around 17.65 km sea-dyles from Udaypur to Tajpur was damaged while 275 km embankment at 134 sites was washed away. The districts where the damage was mainly caused include East Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas, Hooghly and a little in West Midnapore.