South Dinajpur: State takes steps to repair dams & sluice-gates

Balurghat: South Dinajpur district irrigation department has taken up an initiative to repair the damaged embankments, dams and sluice-gates of both Balurghat and Gangarampur subdivisions on an emergency basis to combat heavy rainfall and flood.

The state government has already allocated Rs 1 crore for the district to repair the embankments, dams and sluice-gates immediately.

After receiving the fund, the district irrigation department has started the repairing works.

"The repairing works have started in 70 vulnerable spots of the district with the fund. Of 68 sluice-gates, 27 are being repaired before the monsoon rain hits the district. The damaged embankments and dams of both Balurghat and Gangarampur subdivisions are being repaired at the same time," the source said.

The source said the repairing works are now being conducted at the embankments on Punarbahba located in Gangarampur's Kanthalhat-Hossainpur, Nayabazar, Sudhol and Madhabbati areas, Kumarganj block's Kuraha and Beltara while the damaged sluice-gates on Atreyee are being repaired in Balurghat's Agharibaba area.

Notably, the flood-like situation hit the entire areas of Balurghat, Tapan, Gangarampur and Kumarganj last year. The dams and river embankments were heavily damaged due to heavy force of river water and it needed an emergency repair to protect the residents if the same situation again occurs this year.

District irrigation department had earlier sent a requirement for the allotment of funds to repair the damaged embankments, dams and sluice-gates to the state.

Executive engineer of district irrigation department Swapan Kumar Biswas said: "We have received fund worth Rs 1 crore from the state government for repairing the damaged dams, embankments and sluice-gates. The repairing works are in full-swing in 70 vulnerable spots and at the same time we are repairing 27 damaged sluice-gates."