Dredging of Bagjola canal: Hakim holds meet over waterlogging

KOLKATA: Chairmen of a number of urban local bodies within Kolkata Metropolitan Area (KMA) expressed their concern over the dredging of Bagjola canal at a meeting chaired by Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim on Tuesday.

The minister chaired the meeting with the objective of curbing waterlogging with the onset of the rainy season. He reminded that accumulating water acts as breeding ground for dengue mosquitoes so all possible measures need to be taken to prevent the same.

Officials from Irrigation department, Railways were present at the meeting. "The drainage infrastructure has been overhauled. However, the water carrying capacity of Bagjola canal is lacking because dredging work has not been completed as yet. So there will be difficulty in draining out water in case there is heavy rain," a municipality chairman said. Bagjola canal acts as an important drainage outlet channel for Salt Lake, New Town and Rajarhat-Gopalpur areas. Some of the ULBs chairmen alleged that a number of canals flowing under railway culverts have not been dredged properly.