Taki (WB), June 02: With the possibilities of fresh
flooding in cyclone-battered areas being high due to 'full
Moon high tide' in the next two days, West Bengal Chief
Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday asked the state
irrigation department to repair breached embankments on a
war-footing.
"We have to ensure that there is no seepage of water
through breached embankments further due to high tide which
may occur on June 5 and continue till June 6 or 7," he said.
Bhattacharjee told reporters after a visit to two
relief camps that he had asked irrigation department engineers
to oversee repair of a total 400-km stretch of breached
embankments.
The Chief Minister visited cyclone victims at Sarberia
relief camp in Sandeshkhali and later another camp at
Hingalganj in North 24-Parganas district during the day.
He said that repair of damaged embankments would not be
done by the contractors. "Irrigation engineers must oversee
the job and it should be done by villagers. They will be paid
under the NREGA scheme."
Pointing out that time was "too short", the Chief
Minister said, "We won't be able to plug all the breaches. We
have to fight and do the job as much as possible."
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, June 02, 2009, 21:11