The Bengal government plans to seek Jharkhand’s no-objection certificate to dredge a 16km stretch of the Ganga riverbed in Rajmahal, after an aerial survey linked silt deposition in the neighbouring state to recurring erosion and flooding in Malda.
Bengal chief secretary Manoj Agarwal identified the stretch during an aerial survey on Sunday, according to a report by The Telegraph. The proposed dredging is intended to increase the river’s depth in Rajmahal and reduce the volume of water entering channels near Malda.
A senior official quoted in the report said nearly 40 per cent of the water would not flow into the river channels near Malda if the Rajmahal stretch were dredged. The official said this could help resolve the flooding problem in affected parts of the district.
The proposed work would require approval from Jharkhand because the identified stretch lies in the Rajmahal area of the neighbouring state. Bengal is expected to formally seek the NOC soon. Officials cited in the report said silt deposition had also made parts of Rajmahal prone to flooding, and indicated that Jharkhand could be receptive to measures addressing the problem.
The survey covered Bhutni islet in Malda’s Manikchak block, Ratua-I block and the Ganga, Fulhar and Kosi channels. After the survey, the chief secretary held meetings with district officials and elected representatives to examine the river conditions and the impact of flooding and erosion on the area.
The issue was subsequently discussed at a meeting involving officials from Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal’s irrigation department. According to a source quoted by The Telegraph, participants agreed that reviving the Ganga’s old course in Rajmahal could reduce water pressure in the channels affecting Malda. The officials also agreed to address the matter urgently.
The proposal places river management across state boundaries at the centre of Bengal’s effort to deal with erosion. While the flooding is experienced in Malda, the intervention identified by the survey would take place in Jharkhand, making cooperation between the two state governments necessary before any dredging can begin.
An official cited in the report said Bengal could receive technical and financial support from the Centre for the project. The support was linked to earlier promises by senior BJP leaders to address erosion and flooding in Malda and Murshidabad. The report also said the issue affects at least four Lok Sabha constituencies across the two districts, giving the problem a significant political dimension ahead of the 2029 general election.
A meeting is expected to be held in Delhi to discuss recurring erosion and flooding along the Ganga in Malda and adjoining areas. Officials from the Centre, Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand are expected to participate, with chief minister Suvendu Adhikari also likely to attend, according to the report. The next steps will depend on the inter-state meeting and Jharkhand’s response to Bengal’s proposed request.
