State starts rejuvenation of Khardah canal, to benefit over 2.5 lakh people

Kolkata: The state Irrigation and Waterways department on Saturday began work for rejuvenation of the 4.5 km Khardah canal in North 24-Parngans at a cost of about Rs 1.50 crore. It will be executed in six months and will address water logging problems in various wards under three municipalities — Khardah, Panihati and Titagarh.

Over 2.5 lakh people will benefit with the department taking up lifting of the accumulated silt of the canal.

"The canal is linked with the river and during the monsoon it floods its bank at various places during high tide. The reason is spilling of water due to accumulation of silt. In 2013, rejuvenation of the canal was taken up for the last time," a senior official in the state Irrigation department said.

State Irrigation & Waterways minister Partha Bhowmick, state Agriculture minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, who is also the MLA from Khardah, Saugata Roy, MP Dum Dum, Nirmal Ghosh, MLA Panihati, Raj Chakaraborty, MLA Barrackpore among others were present at a programme. Pontoon mounted excavator will be used for execution of the work.