How Agartala residents work overtime to kill Tripura’s Haora river

On April 17, 2022, EastMojo reported that about 90 per cent of the total drinking water intake supplied through the state government-owned Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) Department in Tripura is sourced from underground. The rest, Tripura DWS department’s Kiran Gitte said, is compensated from various surface water sources like rivers, rivulets and small streams. 

For any state, depending on groundwater for almost 90% of its water needs is neither sustainable nor ideal, and yet, it is easy to see why the government would do so when you look at Agartala’s only potential source of drinking water. 

In some ways, the Haora river in Agartala looks like every other urban river. Its banks are way beyond breached, so much so that it is difficult to fathom the river’s actual bed. Torn between encroachment and lack of sewage management, the river, which originates in the lush Hatai Kotor (formerly known as Baramura hills) and flows through Agartala to meet the Titas confluence in Bangladesh, is on its deathbed. 

But as EastMojo’s investigation into the sorry state of Haora river showed, it is difficult to ask for accountability when multiple departments are involved, each an expert at shifting the blame onto the other, and when residents refuse to believe they are damaging the river.  

Which department are we talking about?

According to government records, the Water Resource Department is the nodal agency entrusted with looking after the rivers. But ask to Mahitosh Das, Chief Engineer of the department, and he points out that their department only looks after irrigation projects.

So what does the Water Resource Department department do?

“We look after some embankment projects. But right now, we don’t have any major projects for the river Haora. The Agartala Municipal Corporation has taken up an ambitious project of Haora riverfront development, but that is in its initial stages.”

What the Chief Engineer did not divulge is that according to the Tripura government, there are 40 irrigation projects in river Haora, which, while reducing the water in the river, have not dramatically impacted the river or are responsible for its current condition. 

It is the urban space and its inhabitants that are at fault. As we find out, every department has a plan, but on the ground, it is a different matter.

Indifferent behaviour

A visit to the areas close to the river reveals that the locals do not care much about the river’s condition. Take the recently concluded Puja season, for example. In Agartala, several idols are immersed in the river, and consequently, the idols’ residuals remain there too. But the Agartala Municipal Corporation only cleans the river bed at Dashami Ghat every year, and that too because if they do not do so, the immersion process would have to be halted. The rest of the year, however, the state of the river matters little. 

For example, the sewage water from all the slums near the river flows directly into it, sans any treatment. In just the Agartala stretch, five drains flow into the river.

Mind you, the government has several ambitious plans, but they remain on paper for now. And it is not as if the government does not know how bad the situation is: AMC’s report shows that 8 lakh litres of sewage water, mostly human excreta, flows into the river. 

Such is the potable condition near the river that residents have constructed their toilets close to the river so that they do not need to spend on waste management. Yet, these are the same people hit by annual floods, when the same sewage returns to their homes. 

Floods and erosion, but residents will not move

Speaking to EastMojo, Biswajit Das, a rickshaw puller who lives in a village called Mukta colony near the Baldakhal area of old Agartala, says floods are an annual affair. But, apart from floods, he also points out the huge levels of soil erosion across the river bank. The river embankments in his areas are in a precarious condition, and the river almost flows next to some households in some regions. If the erosion continues, it is a matter of time before the houses are washed away by the river.

“The government knows everything. What can we say? We have grown along the river bank, fishing in these waters. Every year, we incur massive losses due to floods and now, it has become a part of our lives. Whenever water levels rise, we are advised to stay in the relief camps, where food and water are available. When the water level recedes, we return,” said Das. 

However, like most residents, Das refused to answer questions about why they were dumping waste directly into the river. 

Haora Natun Palli is another slum along the river banks. People, who settled here in the 80s, are used to the recurring floods. Asha Lata Paul, a resident of the area, says: “People have raised their homes so that water does not enter.”

Such is the condition that these residents live on an artificial embankment to resist river water from entering the city. Interestingly, just like Das, Paul believes nothing can be done to change the circumstances. This belief also comes from the fact that locals have almost always opposed any and every resettlement plan. But why is it so?

People EastMojo spoke with said the resettlement projects have limited space for houses. However, in the regions around the river, locals have periodically expanded their areas by encroaching on the river bed. Bigger property means more rent money, and several people here make a living by collecting rent from families staying here as tenants. This will not be possible in resettlement areas. 

This is a common theme across all settlements by the river: despite knowing the dangers they face and the damage they cause to the river is of little concern: this is the place where they live and make money, and for now, nothing that the government offers is good enough to consider relocation. 

Plans, plans and more plans

Remember the five drains that flow directly into the river? BK Agarwal, Chairman, Tripura Pollution Control Board, said all the identified drains would be subjected to bio-remediation. “In this process, living organisms are used to de-pollute the water at the source. Apart from that, a definite plan is there under Agartala Smart City Mission to develop the riverfront area near Dashami ghat. Hopefully, the project will be completed soon,” he added.

Agarwal said the pollution department is also working through NGOs to inform the locals about the causes of pollution and what harmful effects it could have on their health. But while officials talk about several plans, in truth, most projects are far from completion. The riverbank plantation scheme undertaken by the Forest department is also progressing at a poor pace. As per the records of the state’s forest department, a 15 kilometres stretch has been identified for raising a catchment plantation on the banks of river Haora. But, as of 2020, only three kilometres could be covered by plantation. However, 10 check dams have been constructed as per the targets.

Sailesh Kumar Yadav, Commissioner, Agartala Municipal Corporation gave a detailed overview of the riverfront development project.

“As per the plans, we have identified a 1.8-kilometre river stretch which will be developed as per the project. Thirty-seven families were relocated to a government housing complex. They are also receiving a monthly allowance and a one-time monetary assistance of Rs 50,000 as transportation cost,” said Yadav.

Adding further, Yadav said, “There are slums on both sides of the river which cause encroachment and a lot of people are using the river and its banks for dumping solid waste, demolition and construction waste. There is an embankment which was built in the time of Maharaja and it has been eroded due to encroachment by people. We are going to create 18 acres of green space in the selected area on both sides. This place will be accessible. We will make three kilometres of pedestrian walkway along with cycling tracks. People can walk, run and cycle in the area. A lot of things including foot over bridge, yoga space will be constructed in the area.”

On the protection of the river, he said, several studies have been conducted on the embankment. “Our studies conducted by CWPRS and the National Institute of Technology have found that 70 per cent of the embankment that is protecting the central part of Agartala from the floods is very much susceptible to soil erosion. Since the embankment was constructed long back, it was an earthen embankment. Almost 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the funds are going to be spent on erosion prevention and strengthening of this embankment. The project has been awarded already. Surveys are being conducted by the agencies who are awarded the contracts,” he added.

It is clear that the government, and its departments, have several plans ready. The question, however, is what will it take for the government to become proactive in saving a river that can act as a city’s lifeline instead of its favourite drain? 

Also Read | Northeast in numbers: Stunted growth among kids under 5