KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a 24-member expert committee headed by river expert and West Bengal Pollution Control Board chairman Kalyan Rudra, to decide how to reinforce the embankments in an eco-friendly and sustainable manner.
“We have coined a slogan: Prakitik Durjoge Prakiti Sahai (Nature mitigates natural calamities).
This is to see how we can make these embankments strong using natural resources,” said the chief minister at an administrative meeting at Nabanna.
The state government spends thousands of crores to rebuild embankments, but they get breached every year, leaving thousands of acres inundated.
The concrete embankment is capital intensive.
“But we can make sure that embankments can sustain the onslaughts of the cyclonic storms.
Mangroves can play a huge role in withstanding storms,” said chief minister.
The committee will have expert members from Calcutta University, Jadavpur University, Kalyani University and Bidhan Chandra Krish Viswavidyalaya.
“The entire work of mangrove plantation will be funded by the environment department,” she added.
At the Sundarbans, the forest and environment department planted 5 crore mangrove saplings.
The same model will now be replicated in three districts — Sunderbans and riverine zone in North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas and Digha.
“Mangrove plantation is fine, but we are seeking expert opinion on vetiver grass.
If vetiver grass is an invasive species, it can invade farm fields and destroy our crops.
So, we are maintaining extreme caution before choosing species for the plantation,” said a senior environment and forest department officer.