Kolkata: The state Irrigation and Waterways department will prepare a documentary regarding the Ghatal Master Plan project and will screen it among the people who will be reaping benefits of the project.
“We have already started distributing leaflets to the people concerned about the benefits of the Ghatal Master Plan. We will screen a documentary to explain clearly what sort of work will be undertaken in which place so that there is 100 per cent clarity in the minds of the common people regarding the project. The engineers of our department will prepare the documentary with proper explanations,” said Manas Bhunia, state Irrigation and Waterways minister. Elaborating on the documentary which will have animation effects, an engineer explained that as part of the project, the canal from Baikunthapur to Chandreshwar will be merged with the Shilabati River.
It will be shown through the documentary how water spate in the Shilabati will be channelised through the canal and how sluice gates will regulate the water so that it does not inundate the concerned villages and curb flooding.
The construction of circuit dams, the process of channelising water into the river through pumps and other works associated with the project will be screened through the documentary.
The minister recently held a meeting with the Daspur sub-committee in the presence of senior officials of the department where directions were given to reach out and hold meetings with those people whose land will be needed for the project. The sub-committee has been asked to prepare a list of the land owners whose land will be required for excavation of Chandreswar Canal. The state government is dead against any land acquisition and will do the same through consent of the land owner and proper rehabilitation plan for them. Initially, eight blocks, including municipalities, were part of the Ghatal Master Plan. However, after meeting at the local level, relevant portions of Keshpur, Chandrakona I and Chandrakona II blocks have been added in the master plan. Ghatal rural, Ghatal Municipality, Daspur I , Daspur II, Debra, Panskura West, Tamluk I and Panskura Municipality were the eight places that were in the Ghatal Master Plan.
One-third of the total cost of the project to the tune of Rs 500 crore has already been allocated in the Budget for 2025-26. The state is implementing the Ghatal Master Plan through its own cost with no assistance from the Centre despite repeated pleas.