Kolkata: Secretary of the Head of Irrigation and Waterway Prabhat Mishra on Wednesday told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the dredging of bagjola canals and the matters will start this December and completed in May.
Before that, detailed project reports (DPR) for dustilation from the main outfall channel functioning will be prepared.
Blockage of these channels along with other people in the city is the main reason for severe puddles in the north and northeast of Kolkata, including areas in the new city, Salt Lake, VIP Road, this Monsun.
Eastern Regional Bonds National Green Tribunal (NGT) from Judge B Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Saibal Dasgupta (Expert Members) asked Mishra to submit action plans for drainage, Destiltation and Muck Disposal from the salt outfall channel for salt lake and new cities at 14 December, the next hearing date.
The bench also called Deputy Director of the National Mission to Clean Ganga (NMCG) which will be present before the reason for excluding these canals from the NMCG project.
While NMCG claims through a written statement that the canals are excluded because they are not connected with Ganges, Amicus Curiae from this case – Subhas Datta – clarifying that the Ktopur canal is connected with Ganges and thus will be included in the project.
Mishra and the development of the city and the matters of the main secretary of Khalil Ahmed are present through virtual hearing.
Bench asked Ahmed to submit a written statement detailing the problem and the corrective action with a certain timeline before the next hearing.
The bench released both secretaries from personal appearance in court.
To highlight the fate of ordinary people, justice sthalekar shares his own suffering in negotiating stagnant water and how Saibal Dasgupta experts also face a terrible situation despite living in luxury areas in the city.
Mishra previously showed that the dredging of the masturbation and bagjola canal was carried out at five to seven years intervals.
The top of the Bagjola channel was last lined up in 2019-20 and lowered the Canal Bagjola in 2015-16.
New Cut Channel, Kestopur Canal and 15.5 km from Bhangore said Khal was last led in 2014-2015.
It is also stated that cleaning work from two canals is done by catching floating waste in different locations.
The integrated and comprehensive survey of the condition of storm waterways in the KMC area and city-side cities, including a new cut canal, the Kesergintan canal, the top bagjola and a lower bagjola channel, was also set to take off in the first week of October.
This will be finished in a month.
The DPR for dredging canal will be prepared afterwards.