Now Reading: Ganga and Fulahar 750 metres apart, Bengal plans river course change
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Ganga and Fulahar 750 metres apart, Bengal plans river course change
The Story in Brief
West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal said the Ganga and the Fulahar river are now only 750 metres apart in Malda, threatening a merger that could cut off north Bengal by road and rail. After an aerial survey on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Agarwal said the state will take up a three-phase project costing Rs 50 crore to redirect the Ganga back to its former course near Sakrigali in Jharkhand.
The plan requires an NOC from Jharkhand, whose government has not yet responded, while Bihar has already given its approval. A meeting of the Ganga Flood Control Board, chaired by Union Jalshakti Minister CR Patil, is scheduled for October 27 in Delhi, where Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to attend. Agarwal said the dredging work must be completed before the next monsoon.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both outlets report the same developments from Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal's Sunday meeting and aerial survey, but they diverge on two framing choices. Times of India leads with the government's 'ambitious project' and attributes the plan to the Bengal government and the Centre together, emphasising a cooperative federal stance. ETV Bharat, by contrast, leads with the threat of North Bengal being cut off and notes that 'Jharkhand is not saying anything,' foregrounding a state-level clearance gap. ETV Bharat also adds the only reference to a local politician, Suvendu, inspecting flood damage, which is not part of the shared event. Between them, the coverage is uniform on the core plan, the October 27 Delhi meeting and the Rs 50-crore pilot estimate, but differs on whether to emphasise the official ambition or the inter-state hurdle. The concrete next step is the Ganga Flood Control Board meeting on October 27 chaired by Union Minister CR Patil.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 pro-government, 1 government-critical
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com (pro government), etvbharat.com (government critical)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
