Kolkata: The West Bengal government has planned to conduct field survey work along key river stretches in West Midnapore as part of the Ghatal Master Plan, a long-pending flood management initiative meant to address chronic monsoon flooding in the region.
Reliable sources confirmed that the Irrigation and Waterways Directorate will carry out surveys along selected portions of the Shilabati River and Katan Khal to gather basic ground-level data ahead of proposed dredging and desilting works.
An official said the exercise is meant to map sediment build-up, riverbed depth and channel width before any physical work is taken up.
As per official records, the survey will cover a 14.1-km stretch of the Shilabati River from Ramdebpur to Simana in Daspur-I block. Another 16.2-km stretch of Katan Khal, from Hijli to Panna under the Ghatal block, will also be surveyed. Both waterways lie in the West Midnapore district, where vast low-lying areas are affected by flooding almost every year during the monsoon.
Officials clarified that the present exercise is limited to surveys and does not involve dredging or removal of riverbed material at this stage. The findings will be used to decide where and how future desilting operations should be carried out under the Ghatal Master Plan, which has been discussed for decades as a permanent solution to floods in parts of West Midnapore and adjoining areas. Significantly, the survey work is being undertaken on a “no cost to State Exchequer” basis. According to officials, the surveys are linked to future dredging plans, allowing the government to carry out preparatory work without spending public money at this stage. The work is being funded under the SDS scheme and is being implemented through the Kangsabati Canals Division No-IV of the Irrigation and Waterways Department. Residents of Ghatal subdivision have long complained about silted rivers and canals, saying they slow down drainage and lead to prolonged waterlogging.
During heavy rainfall, several villages remain cut off, while standing crops are often damaged due to stagnant water.
Officials said the surveys are expected to help the department identify priority stretches and plan river management work in a more structured manner. The survey is scheduled to be completed within a year, after which further steps under the Ghatal Master Plan are likely to be worked out.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said that the state government will execute the Ghatal Master Plan after the Centre allegedly refused to give funding for the same despite repeated requests.