Thu Jul 31 21:33:32 UTC 2025: ## Summary:

The West Bengal Minister of Irrigation and Waterways announced a planned “mega river management project” in coordination with Bihar and Jharkhand to address severe erosion and flooding in the Gangetic plains of Malda and Murshidabad districts. The Ganga Flood Control Commission (GFCC) estimates that West Bengal bears the brunt of the river’s impact. The project, worth ₹610 crores, aims to include measures for erosion abatement, flood management, dredging, and embankment strengthening, starting with bank protection work in Ratua. The project seeks to redistribute the river’s flow to reduce the impact on vulnerable areas and involves dredging in Jharkhand with their approval. The Minister emphasized the project is a national problem and West Bengal cannot handle it alone.

## News Article:

**West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand Team Up for ‘Mega River Management Project’ to Combat Ganga Erosion**

**KOLKATA, August 1, 2025** – In a collaborative effort to tackle escalating river erosion and flooding, West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand have announced plans for a comprehensive “mega river management project” focused on the Gangetic plains of West Bengal’s Malda and Murshidabad districts. The announcement came yesterday from West Bengal Minister of Irrigation and Waterways, Manas Ranjan Bhunia.

The initiative follows a coordination meeting held in Patna between the three states and the Ganga Flood Control Commission (GFCC) on July 24. The GFCC estimates that West Bengal shoulders 80% of the Ganga River’s impact, with Jharkhand bearing 15% and Bihar the remainder.

“The Ganga flows down from north India, passes through Bihar and Jharkhand, and slams against the Ratua 1 block of Katahadiara in Malda district with heavy flow and momentum. The land here is getting increasingly engulfed by the river. The lives and livelihoods of people are threatened,” Minister Bhunia stated.

The planned project, valued at ₹610 crores, will encompass a range of measures including erosion abatement, flood management, dredging, and the reinforcement of embankments. Initial efforts will concentrate on bank protection and the construction of five spurs along a 5 km stretch in Ratua, commencing in December this year. The overarching goal is to manage the Ganga’s velocity by strategically diverting water from vulnerable areas towards more stable regions.

A key element of the project involves dredging within a 15 km area in Jharkhand’s Sakrigali, pending a “no objection” agreement from the Jharkhand government.

Minister Bhunia emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that West Bengal has lost over 3,394 hectares of land to the Ganga between 2005 and 2024. “The entire stretch of river spanning 163.5 km through Malda, Murshidabad, and Nadia districts is very prone to erosion. The abatement of river erosion cannot be handled by West Bengal alone. It is a national problem,” he stressed.

While West Bengal has previously undertaken anti-erosion measures, the scale of the issue necessitates a coordinated regional approach. The Chief Minister had previously appealed to the Prime Minister in 2022 regarding the severity of erosion, particularly in Malda’s Manikchak block. This collaborative project represents a significant step towards a sustainable solution for the communities impacted by the Ganga’s relentless force.

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