Waterlogging: Desiltation of 28 canals in & around city to start in November

Kolkata: In a bid to give respite to the people of Kolkata from the menace of waterlogging, the state Irrigation and Waterways department—from November—is going to start the work of thorough desiltation and dredging of 28 canals in and around the city including Bagjola and Kestopur.

Residents of a major part of the city and its adjoining areas including Salt Lake were highly inconvenienced due to inundation after incessant

rainfall. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also earlier directed to undertake dredging of the canals to increase its water holding capacity. Following the direction of the Chief Minister, the state Irrigation and Waterways department has undertaken a comprehensive study on the status of the 260 km stretch of outfall canals in Kolkata and its adjoining areas.

It was done with a plan to take up the subsequent dredging work of the same. According to the sources in the Irrigation department, the survey is complete and now they are ready to plunge into action to start the desiltation work soon after the monsoon. "The desiltation and dredging work of the 27 to 28 canals in and around the city would start from November,"

said a senior state government officer.

The survey was conducted on canals include SWF Canal, DWF Canal, Beliaghata Canal, Monikhal, Begore Canal, Udaipur, Bagjola canal, Kestopur canal and Tolly's Nallah that originates from Kultigung in South 24-Parganas and ends at river Hooghly via south Kolkata.

Sources said that special emphasis would be given on the desiltation and dredging of Bagjola and Kestopur canal.

The dredging would be carried out as the city's sewerage system is solely dependable on these canals.