Only a Barrage Can Save! - The Ganga: Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent - page 81

works of the tributaries, construction of training walls inside the channel, agitation
dredging etc. also bore no fruit and the channel continued to deteriorate.
Many other experts who studied the river after 1919 attributed the problem to
the reduction of head-water supply. The only solution, according to them, was to
increase supply by suitable diversion of water from the parent river, the Ganga. It
was mooted as early as 1853, when Sir Arthur Cotton, an eminent engineer and
expert of river management, visited India. He suggested that a barrage at Rajmahal
and a canal, linking the Ganga with the Bhagirathi be constructed to augment
water in the Hooghly. This was not considered at that time, because of inadequate
appreciation of the dangers of the situation.
Other experts and expert committees who also recommended increase of head-
water supply, are Major Hirst (1914-1915), Stevenson Moore Committee (1916-
1919), Sir William Willcocks (1930), T. M. Oag (1939), A. Wibster (1946), Chief
Engineer (Special) of Calcutta Port, the Expert Committee on the river Hooghly and
improvement of its head-water supply (1952), S. C. Majumdar (1953), Consulting
Engineer, Government of West Bengal and ex-Member, Central Water Irrigation &
Navigation Commission and Prof. (Dr.) Ing. W. Hensen (1957).
William Willcock described the Bhagirathi, the Jalangi, and the Mathabhanga
as the 'overflow irrigation systems' in ancient Bengal, built up by great engi-
neers like Bhagirath. Other experts believed that the Bhagirathi was a natural river
and was once the main channel of the Ganga, diverting its discharge toward the
sea. Mr. Willcock suggested construction of 'Nadia Barrage' with 180 openings
of 25 feet each with overall barrage length of 6,460 feet between the abutments
for diversion of headwater in Nadia rivers for irrigation, which would also help
navigation and increase activities of Calcutta Port.
In October 1952, the Expert Committee, set up by the Government of India,
reiterated the need for upland supplies and construction of a barrage across the
Ganga for diverting its flow. In 1957, at the request of the Government of India,
the Federal republic of Germany deputed Prof. (Dr.) Walter Hensen, Director of
Franziue Institute of Soil and Waterways, Technical University, Hanover, to study
the problems of Calcutta Port, the Hooghly and the Bhagirathi. After examining
various phenomena, such as, the seasonal and long-term changes in depths over
the bars and crossings, changes in salinity, intensity and frequency of bores etc.,
Prof. Hensen came to the following conclusion:

The Hooghly and the Bhagirathi, if they are left to themselves, will gradually further dete-
riorate considerably. Ultimately, the depths and cross-sections ... will so deteriorate as to
carry only the run-off from its own catchment without any spill from the Ganga which she
now receives. At present, portion of the Ganga water which is the upland discharge of the
Hooghly received from the Bhagirathi and the Jalangi is about 65%. The present capacity
will also decrease to a third of the existing capacity where the offtake of the Bhagirathi
and the Jalangi from the Ganga gets completely closed for the whole year

...

. There will be

catastrophe for the navigation and all other interests in the Hooghly.

He recommended

• A barrage across the Ganga, with which progressive deterioration of the

Hooghly can be stopped and possibly improved gradually. If upland discharge is