A high-level expert team comprising experts of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and State Water Resources Department visited the north Baleswar areas of Bhograi, Basta, Jaleswar and Baliapal for a field study regarding the Subarnarekha Sanskar Yojana (SSA).

The technical team included Chief Engineer CWC SP Sinha, Director Ajay Pradhan, State Water Resources head Santosh Patnaik, Chief Engineer planning and design Gangadhar Sahu, Chief Engineer drainage Ranjan Acharya, SE drainage Amitav Rath and Deputy Director planning Sagar Mohanty. Besides them, Baleswar MP Rabindra Jena, Bhorai MlA Ananta Das and Basta MlA Nityananda Sahu were present.

In fact, for Subarnarekha while the State Government after consecutive floods in 2007 and 2008 had sought `950 crore of central assistance and submitted a DPR, yet the same was lying idle. MP Jena took up the matter with the Centre and the CWC Secretary for which a fresh initiative was made after a gap of five years.

Due to non- dredging of Subarnarekha river and floods, water logging by excess rain water from Bengal end had been a major headache for the people of north Baleswar. The entire stretch of river here needs dredging till it joins the sea.

The State Government has already placed nearly `17 lakh with IIT Chennai to make a survey for dredging of the river mouth.

“The expert team members suggested to create one more channel of about 12 km from Bhuabandha to Kirtania sea joining point to evacuate the accumulated water to dredge  the river bed and mouth and strengthening of the embankment and spurs. This would at least prevent flood damages and loss of livelihood of people of north Baleswar,” said MP Jena.