Can’t Silchar have a water canal? Argues Parthankar Choudhury

These days, if someone asks what’s the collective demand from the netizens of Silchar and Barak Valley, undoubtedly, the response would be a ‘permanent solution for the Silchar Flood’. I believe, people irrespective of caste, creed, age, sex, and also political ideology would vouch for it, as compared to many others for which hullah-bullah are on.

The tributaries of River Barak are the Katakhal, Dholeswari, Jiri, Chiri, Madhura, Jatinga and Sonai. Katakhal is an artificially dug canal (kata means artificially cut and khal means canal). No authentic information is available as when the artificial canal was dug, but a conservative estimate says that it is 100 odd years old. If we look at the up streams of Dholeswari river flowing through Hailakandi district, it is seen that the two rivers, ‘Tiawang’ flowing northwards from Mizoram merges with ‘Teirei’ river, both flows further northward, where it forms Dholeswari. Near Rupacherra grant, this Dholeswari gets bifurcated into two parallel rivers, Dholeswari and katakhal. Thus, the Katakhal river which originates in Bhairabi, and ends at Kalinagar Village fall into Barak, and both the rivers (Dholeswari and Katakhal) flow almost parallelly northward and meet Barak separately. Due to the presence of Katakhal River, flood damages to Hailakandi township area comparatively less. This year also, very negligible damage has taken place in Hailakandi town. Flood map, prepared by our student reveals this fact.

There is another Katakhal river in the neighbouring state, Tripura, which is much older one. Haora is one of the major rivers of West Tripura. Earlier, the river used to take a sharp northward bend to meet with the river Titas immediately after entering Bangladesh, but presently, it is flowing westward to do so. (Reference: Geomorphology 193 (2013) by Shreya Bandyopadhyay et al) ( http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.03.024).

As per available information, the katakhal (of Tripura) was dug during first half of the twentieth century under the initiative of the then king of Tripura (Bandyopadhyay et al, 1983). Starting point of katakhal (Tripura) was Khayerpur, passed through the northern boundary of erstwhile town of Agartala and again met R. Haora near Akhaura. However, in course of time, The Katakhal got completely detached from Haora and meets River Titas (Bangladesh) separately. The crux of the narrative is that although it was done long ago, but by doing so, the urban areas of Agartala could permanently be saved from flood inundation.

Taking cues from above, and also as the Hon’ble Chief Minister (Assam) while speaking to media during his visit on 23rd June,’22 expressed that if people come up with any proposal for permanent solution of Urban Flood of Silchar, and if that is found to be worthy, the government would consider it. The proposal below, banks on such a call by the popular HBS, the much active and dynamic Assam CM.

The way in which Katakhal at Tripura and Hailakandi have proved worthy of the same and both are successful in saving the urban areas of both the township areas, can in a similar way, another artificial canal (Katakhal) be dug to save the Urban Silchar area? Per unit area, population is more in Urban Silchar and is thus the second populous city in the state. the proposal demands to be favourably considered.

If someone opens ‘Google-Earth’, zooms it and trace the course of River Barak, surely s/he would notice that from Sonabarighat area, while moving downstream, the river has undergone lot many meanderings, and ultimately has bifurcated into Surma and Kusiara, before entering Bangladesh.

The present proposal is construction of an artificial canal as shown in the given map. The said canal may originate near Sonabarighat (or any nearby area), and may proceed southwards via Kathal Grant, Chengduar, Digor Srikona and would meet River Barak at its downstream somewhere before it enters Bangladesh. As usual, such a canal should have high embankments and have regulated water flow at both the extremes. Once the canal is in place, the problem of urban flood for Silchar can be mitigated once for all. As the city is soon going to be upgraded to Corporation, therefore, to have a long-term planning, feasibility of such a new canal can easily be explored through deployment of experienced planners, technocrats, and others. Land acquisition and related other paraphernalia, that might crawl up in such a situation, will have to be addressed through giving due weightage. Although repairing works at Betukandi is a short term therapy, but for the upcoming several decades and even centuries, the proposed water canal would stand a ‘Permanent cure’.

Hope, this plea receives the attention of the people who are sitting at the helm of affairs at the Center and the state. At this critical hour of deluge, a ‘nod’ from them can be expected by the netizens of the second largest state of Assam, Isn’t it?

 

The author of this article Parthankar Choudhury is professor, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Assam University, Silchar