West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday pledged to address the longstanding problem of erosion along the Ganges, Fulohar and Bhagirathi rivers. Speaking at an administrative review meeting in Malda involving the districts of Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur, Adhikari said: "Erosion of the Ganges, Fulohar and Bhagirathi is a major problem in Malda and Murshidabad. We are going to resolve this issue under a 50-50 project, in which the funds would be borne equally by the Centre and the state."
The meeting marked Adhikari's first interaction with public representatives from the minority-dominated districts of Malda, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur. These districts saw large-scale voter deletions during the SIR exercise and also witnessed significant gains by the BJP in the elections.
Blaming the Trinamool Congress government, Adhikari said: "In 2018, there was a contract between the Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) and the state government in which 20% of the riverbank was to be protected by FBP while 80% fell on the state's part. Unfortunately, the state government did not do its bit."
The Chief Minister directed the principal secretary to follow the way Bangladesh was protecting its riverbanks by making them concrete. "If not before this monsoon, we hope to make substantial progress before next year," he said.
Adhikari announced that Jana Kalyan Shibirs will be organised statewide from June 15 to 17, in which people would be enrolled for central government benefits. "We have given money under Annapurna Yojana to 55 lakh women," he said, seeking a list of PM Awas beneficiaries by July 20.
The Chief Minister also urged police to stop overloading and keep national highways free from traffic jams. "Speak to people. If they are heard, there will be no scope of agitation. We can avoid situations like Mothabari or Beldanga," he told police, while adding that no one should be falsely implicated.
All MLAs, including opposition legislators of the four districts, were present at Friday's meeting. CPM's Mostafijur Rahman raised the issue of Domkal Sub Division Court. Humayun Kabir of AJUP said the industrial hub of Rejinagar was yet to function.
