After damage to Kapil Muni’s ashram, a high-level team visits spot
The Statesman | 27 July 2024
The state will send a high-level committee to inspect the damage surrounding areas of Kapil Muni’s ashram at Sagar Island following high tide.
Earlier this month, a tidal surge broke the beachfront in front of Kapil Muni’s ashram in Sagar. Subsequently, during the high tide, the concrete path near the bathing ghat adjacent to Kapil Muni’s temple was also damaged. On Thursday afternoon, Sundarbans development minister Bankim Hazra visited the area to inspect the erosion prevention measures. He assured, “Experts have examined the erosion. There will be a high-level inspection on 30 July to determine how to permanently prevent erosion in front of the temple.” During the inspection, the minister was accompanied by Sagar’s BDO Kanaiya Kumar Roy, executive officer of Gangasagar-Bakkhali Development Authority (GBDA) Nilanjan Tarafdar and officials from the irrigation department. They mentioned that they are seeking assistance from Chennai IIT for ways to prevent erosion.
Currently, Kapil Muni’s temple and ashram are safe. Local residents claim that if erosion is not prevented, the heritage of Kapil Muni will be lost. They are frustrated that the administration is not taking permanent measures and is only making promises. One villager said, “The distance between Kapil Muni’s temple and the sea is 500 meters. At the rate the coastline is eroding, the temple could disappear into the sea within the next ten years. Every year, crores of rupees are spent on pilot projects, but there is no trace of this work on the beach.” According to administrative and local sources, a few days ago, part of the road from Gangasagar 2 to Gangasagar 5 collapsed into the sea.
Nearly 10 feet of concrete road at Gangasagar 4 has disappeared into the sea. This time, about 30 to 40 feet of concrete road at Gangasagar 4 has again collapsed. The repeated erosion has spread panic around the temple area. Civil defence has also issued a ban on pilgrims entering the sea.
Accusing the BJP of not allocating funds to prevent the erosion, the Sundarbans development minister attacked the saffron party. He said, “Not a single rupee has been allocated in the central budget for disaster management in the Sundarbans. The more they deprive us, the less will be its chances to make a mark in the state.”
In response, local BJP leader Arunava Das said, “Even though the Centre has given funds for housing schemes and other sectors, it is being said that there is deprivation. Due to massive corruption, the state government has not yet provided accounts of expenditure in various sectors. How can they ask for additional allocations?”
Meanwhile, the river embankment of Mousuni Island broke during the high tide, flooding the entire area. This issue is not limited to Mousuni Island; a river embankment in the Gobardhanpur area of Patharpratima also broke due to the tidal surge. Residents complained that this problem occurs every year because a permanent concrete embankment has not been constructed using advanced technology. This has led to widespread frustration among the locals.
Mousuni Island, a significant tourist destination in South 24-Parganas, attracts many visitors each year. The combined effect of a low-pressure system and a full moon tide has inundated the island. Mousuni Island is surrounded by the Chinai river on one side, the Muriganga river on another, and the Bay of Bengal on the third. The area always has a high number of rivers. An 800-metre embankment was constructed along the Bottala river, but it broke during the high tide, causing river water to flood several houses and roads in the village. Even the cottages built for tourists were not spared from the flooding.
Upon receiving the news, Prabhanjan Mondal, the electrical department head of the Namkhana Panchayat Samiti, visited the site and assured that the issue would be resolved quickly. However, the residents remain in fear, worrying that the water levels will rise further. They are demanding a permanent solution to the problem.