(a) whether the sea dykes along Contai coast, West Bengal have become very weak following the 1999 cyclone;
(b) whether any big upsurge from the sea can lead to widespread flooding and destruction of property, land and lives in several areas of Contai sub-division;
(c) if so, whether the Union Government have asked the
Government of West Bengal to attend to the repair work on an
emergency basis; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES (SMT. BIJOYA CHAKRAVARTY)
(a) As per the information received from the State
Governemnt, the Cyclone of 1999 caused some damage to the Sea
Dykes along the Contai Coast of West Bengal and at some points,
the Dyke got weakened.
(b) In the event of any big upsurge from the sea, the State
Government has reported that the possibility of flooding of some
sea-side areas causing damage to land and property of the local
inhabitants and creating temporary disturbance to public life
can not be ruled out.
(c) & (d) Flood Management being a State subject, flood control
schemes including coastal erosion are planned, funded and
executed by the State Governments themselves out of their own
resources and as per their own priorities. The Central
Government renders assistance that are technical, catalytical and
promotional in nature.
The Government of West Bengal has informed that they
have attended to the repair works of the damaged sea dyke on
priority basis and have taken up the following works with their
own resources, after the Cyclone of 1999:-
(i) Raising and strengthening of the sea dyke from 36.00 km to
41.00 km has already been completed.
(ii) Raising and strengthening of the sea dyke from 27.50 km to
29.15 km and from 30.50 km to 36.00 km have been undertaken.
(iii) A scheme involving works on raising and strengthening
of the sea dyke from 41.00 km to 48.00 km and from 61.25 km to
65.40 km has been sanctioned.
(iv) The scheme ‘Protection of sand dune, sea dyke by brick and
concrete block pitching in between the mouzas Gopalpur and
Bhogpur’ at an estimated cost of Rs. 64.66 lakhs is also under
process in the State Government.