State completes rebuilding Amphan-hit embankments
KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee government has recently completed reconstruction of 156 km embankment, which was damaged due to super cyclone Amphan in 37 coastal blocks in East Midnapore, North and South 24-Parganas. This is crucial as cyclone Yaas is likely to hit the Bengal coast exactly a year after the state had witnessed damages to a tune of more than Rs 1 lakh crore, including damage of 160 km embankment due to super-cyclone Amphan.
"We had taken all steps and completed the repairing work on time that would surely come as a dividend this time as it would help in avoiding flood-like situation to a large extent," said a senior official of the Irrigation and Waterways department.
The state Irrigation and Waterways department had carried out the assessment of the damage caused to embankments after Amphan. It found out that about 160 km of embankment was badly damaged. With all steps taken by the state government, the repairing works were initiated by the state Irrigation and Waterways department.
Besides completing the reconstruction of 156 km embankment, the state Irrigation and Waterways department has also ensured restoration of 36 other structures including mostly sluice gates and pump houses. At the same time, Amphan had caused deep breaches at 92 spots on embankments in different places. The same were also repaired on immediate basis. The entire work was carried out at an expense of around Rs 100 crore.
The 37 blocks where the embankments were rebuilt include Sandeshkhali and Basirhat in North 24-Parganas, Patharpratima, Sagar and Hingalganj in South 24-Parganas and Ramnagar in East Midnapore.
The official said there were around 3,500 km embankments at Sunderbans in North and South 24-Parganas and 70 km in East Midnapore. The entire stretch has been closely inspected to check whether there is any crack that needs to be repaired on immediate basis or not. The construction of a 90 km permanent embankment in Sunderbans area that was taken up after Aila was also completed.
