Bengal found unique model to dredge rivers without spending funds, says Min

Kolkata: State Irrigation minister Manas Bhuniya on Wednesday said that a state government agency has developed a “unique” model in which dredging operations will be carried out in rivers and canals but no cost will be incurred on the state exchequer.

After dredging, contractors will pay the royalty on the dredged material and also give a part of the pulled out soil to the government, which can be utilised for various purposes, Bhuniya told reporters.

In case the dredging is not a complex one, the district administration concerned will carry out such an exercise with the support of irrigation and waterways department engineers, he said.

Bhuniya said that the model, developed by West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd, is being implemented with no cost volume sharing model at five river stretches from 2022-23 to date on a pilot basis.

The pilot project has generated a revenue of Rs 112 crore totalling an area of 180 km of waterbodies including 28 canals and rivulets, he said.

“Previously, the government would spend Rs 500 crore annually to excavate or dredge 226 km of channels or rivers on an average. If the new model is okayed and implemented, the engaged contractor will pay royalty on dredged material and also pay a premium at a contract rate per cubic metre to the government,”  the minister said.

Irrigation and Waterways department Principal Secretary Manish Jain told a news agency that it is the first such model in the country and the department has already issued NOC to various district magistrates to carry out dredging.

Bhuniya said: “If approved, the model will be implemented either through district administration or by the irrigation and waterways department. In both cases, there would not be any expenditure from the state while revenue can be generated.”

Districts such as East Midnapore, Birbhum and North 24-Parganas have already initiated plans to go this way, he said.

The minister said there are 8,670 canals or rivulets in Bengal and most of them are faced with siltation threats.

“With the Centre not releasing funds for dredging and excavation of rivers and canals in Bengal for the past few years, we cannot sit idle.

As the state has to incur heavy expenses to the tune of Rs 500 crore every year to control floods, our department in collaboration with West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Ltd is hopeful that this model will solve the problem to some extent,” Bhuniya said.

There is little chance of getting any help from the Centre which has allocated only Rs 412 crore for 28 states, he claimed.