Ghatal Master Plan: Wall on Shilabati west bank on cards
Times of India | 17 February 2025
Ghatal: A wall on Shilabati river's western bank to prevent floodwaters from entering Ghatal is part of the Master Plan. Acquiring 105 acres of land to build embankments, dams and pump houses, five sluice gates (four on the Rupnarayan and one on the Shilabati) linking Chandreshwar canal to Shilabati, are all part of the ambitious plan. This was announced at a meeting on Sunday.
Ghatal MP Dev, state irrigation minister Manas Bhunia, MLA Ajit Maity, irrigation secretary Manish Jain, West Midnapore DM Khurshid Ali Qadri, SP Dhritiman Sarkar, SDO Suman Biswas, district council chairperson Pratibha Maity and other officials attended the monitoring committee meeting at Ghatal Town Hall. Govt has announced Rs 500 crore for the Ghatal Master Plan.
Dev told reporters: "I do not want to blame anyone (for the project not seeing the light of day yet), but the govt that implements the Ghatal Master Plan deserves praise. Within Ghatal parliamentary constituency, six assembly seats belong to TMC, and one to BJP. This is not political gimmick. The CM has allocated funds to help the people of Ghatal. Over the next few years, Rs 2,000 crore will be approved, and we have a target to complete the work in two years."
"I urge everyone to unite since this is just the beginning of the fight. In cases of land acquisition, there may be people with other political ideologies... I request that no one misleads them. Political views may differ, but this initiative is for all the people of Ghatal. We will try to offer fair compensation for land if needed," said the MP. He went on to say: "Controlling floods has been the biggest demand of Ghatal's residents since Independence. Many govts and MPs have tried in their own ways. I made my efforts too. Today, the victory belongs to the people of Ghatal"
"Tender calls and acquisition have begun," he said.