By Avijit Biswas
Bhagalpur: To ensure northward flow of Ganga at Sultanganj in this district, the Water Resource Department (WRD) has started exploring possibility of digging a channel for the purpose.
A WRD team visited Sultanganj for survey purpose on last Sunday following request made by DM Nawal Kishore Choudhury to WRD for restoring northward flow of Ganga at Sultanganj.
In past Ganga used to flow northward at Sultanganj. However due to change in course of river with passage of time, the flow of Ganga has changed direction. The river in its entire course generally flows in southeasterly direction.
The river is commonly referred as Uttarvahini Ganga where it takes northward turn. In its entire route the river becomes Uttarvahini only at few places. Sultanganj is one such place where river used to flow northward in past.
Uttarvahini Ganga having religious importance, the large number of pilgrims who undertake journey on foot to Baidyanathdham temple at Deoghar in Jharkhand with Kanwars in month of Shrawan every year, start their pilgrimage from Sultanganj fetching holy water of river.
Taking into consideration religious importance of Uttarvahini Ganga efforts have been initiated for restoring northward flow of river at Sultanganj. Following preliminary survey made for the purpose the WRD members met DM here.
As per information the WRD team members informed DM about their survey findings. In meeting with DM discussion was also held on linking mainstream of the river with existing channel of the river near Champanullah at western outskirts of city and at Barari at eastern outskirts of city.
It may be mentioned mainstream of the river has drifted far from city, the existing channel near river bank in city has become dead channel. The drift of mainstream has also led to reduced flow of water from Ganga in Chandan river.
The Chandan river falling dry due to reduced flow of water from Ganga has adversely effected production of Katarni, an exclusive paddy variety grown in this region.
Primarily a rainfed river, in major part of the year the water availability in Chandan depends on flow of water in the river from Ganga through Champanullah.
Taking into consideration bringing back mainstream of Ganga to its previous course apart from increasing water availability in Chandan river would also ensure increased water availability in city, the required measures for the purpose were discussed in meeting between WRD team members and DM.
Following discussion, it was decided the WRD team would be here within next fifteen days for deciding measures needed for bringing back mainstream of the river close to its bank in city.
Read more
Bhagalpur Police Register Major Success in Recovery of Illegal Arms and Ammunition
- Writer Avijit Biswas, former principal correspondent of Hindustan Times Bhagalpur bureau, can be contacted at biswasavijit@yahoo.comContact number (mobile): +919431095516
