CM calls for salvage of sunken ship in Muriganga River to reduce siltation

While instructing the administration to take all possible measures to ensure the smooth ferrying of the pilgrims during Gangasagar Mela, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, expressed her concern over the siltation in the deep channel of the Muriganga River that might have developed due to the sinking of a Bangladeshi trawler in 2013.

During the preparatory meeting at Nabanna Sabhaghar ahead of Gangasagar Mela, Banerjee came to know about the siltation issue from Bankim Chandra Hazra, Minister in Charge of Sundarban Affairs Department.

Banerjee wanted to know whether any attempt was made to salvage the sunken trawler. She advised seeking assistance from the Indian Army for the same. Hazra, who is also the MLA from Sagar, said that P Ulaganathan, who was the then district magistrate of South 24-Parganas, had tried to salvage the trawler from the bottom of the river but failed.

Banerjee asked the representative of the Indian Navy present in the meeting about how the issue could be addressed. The Navy official pointed out that there are organisations such as the Dredging Corporation of India which are associated with such salvage work. He also said that the Navy has no expertise in this matter and it takes aid from other organisations from the state or abroad for salvage operations, if required.

Banerjee also sought suggestions from the Disaster Management department which informed that the matter is technical and complex and also advised seeking assistance from the Dredging Corporation. However, the process will take time. Banerjee said that efforts should be made to salvage the sunken ship after the Gangasagar Mela.

“We have to take into account that this is an international waterway and we have to ensure that habitation in the Sunderbans is not affected by any means. The company owning the trawler that had sank cannot shy away from responsibility,” Banerjee remarked.

The Army asked the Chief Minister to mark the place of the shipwreck and make arrangements so that the earmarked portion is visible during nighttime too which would rule out chances of any accident. Banerjee instructed the principal secretary of the Irrigation department and secretary of the Transport department to take necessary action for marking the place where the ship had sunk. Banerjee was informed that the siltation in the deep channel will be completed latest by the end of the first week of January and all possible measures have been taken.