Dredging work in Muriganga: Siltation detected in deep channel of the riverine route

Kolkata: The dredging work in Muriganga River for ensuring smooth commute during the Gangasagar Fair in January has posed a new challenge for the state government with siltation being detected in the deep channel of the riverine route from Lot 8 to Kachuberia.

“At least in the last few decades we have never come across siltation in the deep channel from Lot 8 till Kachuberia. We carry out dredging in the balance route which is almost nearing completion in strict adherence to the December 31 deadline. But now with this new challenge emerging, we have made arrangements for procuring an additional dredger machine so that work for desilting this deep channel can be taken up on a priority basis,” a senior official of the state Irrigation and Waterways department said.

He maintained that the work of dredging the balance route will be over by December 28 and the existing dredger will be free.

This machine along with the new one, which will be procured, will be used for desilting of the deep channel. “We are hopeful that by January 6, we will be able to do the needful and overcome this new challenge,” he added.

The state government is still in the dark about the scientific reason behind this sudden change in the river morphology. Some local people have attributed that a vessel had sunk in the year 2018 that might have contributed to the siltation. “The Gangasagar Mela is at the doorstep so at the current juncture, our focus is clearing off the impediment. But once the fair gets over, we will do a study to ascertain the reason behind such a phenomenon,” another official of the Irrigation department said.

State Irrigation minister Partha Bhowmick, state Sunderban Affairs minister Bankim Hazra, District Magistrate Sumit Gupta and other senior officials of different line departments recently took stock of the situation and held a meeting to overcome the situation on a war footing.

Minister of Public Health Engineering and Public Works department Pulak Roy paid a visit to the Sagar Islands on Saturday and held a review meeting to oversee arrangements of the mela in the presence of minister Bankim Hazra and top officials from all line departments and district administration and police.

The minister set a December 31 deadline for ensuring supply of water as well as necessary road infrastructure so that the pilgrims face no difficulties.

“Precautionary measures for Covid were also discussed at length and it has already been decided to have 70 additional medical teams during the fair,” Hazra said.