Centre is not implementing 'Ghatal master plan', says Trinamool MP

Kolkata: Actor-turned -MP Deepak Adhikari, popularly know as Dev, hit out at the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for not implementing the Ghatal master plan.

Dev visited the flood affected areas of Ghatal on Wednesday and spoke to the local people. He also distributed relief materials and assured all possible assistance to them.

An MP from Ghatal, Dev said that the Centre would not implement the Ghatal master plan which was so necessary for the people in the region.

He also said that it would be implemented after the Trinamool Supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee becomes the Prime Minister.

"Ahead of the Assembly poll many central leaders came here and said that they would turn the state into golden Bengal (Sonar Bangla**). They also made a number of promises but where are they now. The Centre is doing nothing in this regard. I had presented the details in the parliament as how important it is to implement the Ghatal master plan. People are in distress. Our aim is to help the people to tide over their crisis. Politics is meant for

the well being of the people but it has turned into a different ball game altogether," Dev added.

He further stated: "Ghatal master plan would not be implemented till Banerjee becomes the Prime Minister. They (Centre) did not take any action despite being requested repeatedly. We have written so many letters but no steps have been taken to implement the Ghatal master plan. During the election time the Central leaders came here and made big talks which are very unfortunate."

Dev raised the issue in the parliament many times. Earlier in 2013 the state government submitted an Rs 1,214.92 crore proposal to the Centre for the implementation of the Ghatal master plan for flood control. The centre agreed to bear 50 per cent of the cost but no fund has been disbursed from the Centre yet.

It is too big a proposal for the state government to bear the entire cost alone.

Despite the financial crunch, the state government had taken desiltation works in New Koshi river and Khiraiboksi river that are part of the Ghatal master plan.

State government did its best to implement the Ghatal master plan through its limited resources.

The Centre however turned a deaf ear to Bengal's appeal. Bengal's initiatives include the dredging of Durbachoti and Chandreswar rivers.