BALURGHAT: The western portion of the Atreyee River embankment has once again collapsed due to continuous rainfall, prompting the Irrigation department to suspend six engineers involved in the construction project.
The department has also issued a show-cause notice to the Chief Engineer (North), seeking an explanation for his absence and failure to take timely action. The embankment, constructed by Kolkata-based MSA Construction Pvt Ltd, was completed in January 2024 to facilitate irrigation across 2,000 hectares in Balurghat and Kumarganj blocks. However, repeated breaches have raised serious concerns about the quality of construction.
Following the latest incident, an FIR has been lodged against the construction firm by the Executive Engineer of South Dinajpur. On Tuesday morning, the breach was reported and by Wednesday, the Irrigation secretary visited the site and recommended disciplinary actions. The suspended officials include personnel ranging from Superintending Engineers to Junior Engineers. The state Vigilance Commissioner has been directed to investigate the matter and submit a report with recommendations.
District Magistrate of South Dinajpur, Bijin Krishna, confirmed that legal and departmental proceedings are underway. “The Irrigation Department has initiated necessary steps, including filing an FIR. An investigation is ongoing,” he stated. The incident has triggered panic among riverside residents. Around 2 a.m. on Monday night, a strong current caused a large section of the western dam to collapse.
Earlier, the base soil of the western bank had eroded, leading to a partial collapse of the bridge section of the dam. Residents have voiced concerns over riverbank erosion and questioned the construction’s integrity.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who discussed the issue during an administrative meeting in Uttarkanya with the South Dinajpur District Magistrate and minister Biplab Mitra on Wednesday, had expressed concern. She also criticised the Central government for remaining silent on Bangladesh’s dam construction on the Atreyee, which she implied contributes to flooding issues.