Agartala, March 27 Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Thursday that the state government has undertaken measures to increase Howrah River’s navigability which will also address the issue of flooding in Agartala city.
In his statement on a calling attention notice in the state assembly, the Chief Minister said that two concept papers of Rs 248 crore and Rs 145.71 crore were prepared and submitted to the Central government for funding.
Tripura has 12 major rivers, and out of them, eight rivers, including the Howrah and Gomati rivers, flow to Bangladesh.
Saha, who also holds the Water Resources Division portfolio, said that the 61.20 km long Howrah river, which flows along the Agartala city, is vital for agriculture, drinking water, fishing and other livelihoods of lakhs of people.
Of the 61.20 km of the Howrah river, 52 km falls in India and 9.20 km in Bangladesh, where it joins with the Titas river that merges into the Meghna river.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has undertaken a series of measures to permanently address flooding in Agartala city by increasing the navigability of the Howrah River.
He informed that the Water Resources Division of the Public Works Department is currently implementing a special program to remove silt, solid waste, and debris accumulated along the Howrah River’s banks, which is expected to be completed within the next six months.
Howrah River originates from the western edge of the Baramura Hill Range and flows westward before merging with the Titas River in Bangladesh.
Saha mentioned that the Howrah River basin was sparsely populated before 1900. However, over the years, the population along the riverbanks in Agartala city, the state capital, has increased significantly. He highlighted that the residents along the Howrah River have been utilising it for their daily needs and economic benefits.
“However, their direct and indirect activities have not only contributed to water pollution but also altered the river’s morphology. Since the early 20th century, the flow of the Howrah River has undergone changes. Currently, the demand for its water is increasing for drinking and agricultural purposes in greater Agartala and its surrounding areas. The river’s natural flow is being disrupted due to the construction of roads, embankments, bridge piers, causeways, and sandbags placed to collect water. As a result, the navigability of the river is gradually declining,” said the Chief Minister.
Additionally, he pointed out that human activities such as land-use changes, sand mining, water harvesting, solid waste disposal, agriculture, and hill cutting for brick industries have further impacted the river's course and natural dynamics.
The Chief Minister further noted that extensive deforestation has exacerbated soil erosion, leading to sediment deposition in the river. This has reduced the Howrah River’s water-holding capacity, increasing the risk of severe flooding even with minimal rainfall, he pointed out.
“Along with this, there is a need to create overall public awareness so that dumping of accumulated dirt, garbage, etc. in the Howrah River water can be prevented so that the normal flow of the river water is not disrupted and the river water is not polluted,” he stated.
--IANS
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