MONSOON ARRIVES

Citizens anxious over uncared for dyke

As the monsoon almost arrived, the residents of Cooch Behar town started expressing their concern that the Torsa river may pose serious danger to the town in this monsoon. It may breach its main dyke following heavy rains in the catchment areas.

For the past few years, the fear is increasing here that the embankment of the Torsa that is protecting this old and beautiful town might be breached. The condition of the dyke was reported to be precarious and it might not withstand the pressure of the swollen Torsa anymore. This embankment, constructed in 1955-56, is threatened by rain-cuts, erosion and encroachments.
It was learnt that on behalf of the Cooch Behar district administration, the irrigation division was asked for regular maintenance of the dyke and repair of the damaged parts. The irrigation division officials pointed out that owing to some encroachments along the dyke in Ranibagan, Patakura, Khagrabari and some other places it has not been possible for them to maintain and repair the damaged portions of the embankment. They also mentioned problems related to lack of funds.

A few years ago, when Mr Chandan Sinha was the district Magistrate of Cooch Behar, he asked the executive engineer of Cooch Behar irrigation division, to fix a date for a drive to make the dyke encroachment-free. But, the date is yet to be fixed and the latter to submit any report to the administration over the matter. It was learnt that irrigation division never asked for any help or cooperation from the administration.
In the last few monsoons, water had seeped into the town through breaches, which came up at some portions of the dyke, but the necessary repairs along the affected stretches have yet to be done.
The dyke is the only buttress for this heritage-town from the waters of the Torsa. In many places, the boulders, which had been placed to safeguard the dyke, are missing. The iron nets, which were placed to keep the boulders in place, snapped and even earth at some places excavated and carted away by locals.
A senior officer said that the administration would take up the matter with the appropriate authorities so that the encroachments are removed and the repair work on the dyke can be taken up.
Mr Saukat Ali of 'Concern for Cooch Behar', said, the government and other bodies are spending a lot of money for the development and beautification of Cooch Behar but all would be useless if the waters of overflowed Torsa enter the town through the damaged portions of the dyke. He lamented that the authorities had adopted several flood protection work in the region but nothing was done to repair the deplorable condition of the dyke on which the future of Cooch Behar town depends.

Another CFC member, Mr Debabrata Chaki, said they had been crying for the past years to get the condition of the dyke to the notice of the authorities but all that gone to deaf ears.
District Trinamul Congress vice-president Mr Niranjan Dutta, district Congress vice-president Mr Dipak Neogy, district BJP secretary Mr Nikhil Ranjan Dey and others alleged that some dishonest officials of the irrigation division deliberately wait for the monsoons to arrive to cause the damages, because after that damage bulk orders for sand-bags are placed with those they share a vested interest.