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(a)
(b)
Fig. 10.3
(a) Typical plan of Bhagirathi offtake; (b) Typical cross-section near Bhagirathi offtake
Agricultural fields and orchards on both sides of the river faced severe water
shortage, as the ground-water level had gone down in pre-Barrage days. Farm pro-
duction came down substantially because intrusion of salinity in the soil. After
the commissioning of the barrage, and owing to induction of sweet water into the
river, round the year, from 1975, the ground water became saline-free and the level
increased substantially which boosted farm production. However, the benefit did
not last long and from 1978, after the Farakka Agreement came into effect, the
discharge in the feeder canal went low in lean seasons. About 3000 km
2
on both
banks in Murshidabad, Nadia, Burdwan, North and South 24-Parganas, Hooghly
and Howrah districts were affected by the 1977 Agreement. The water-levels in
tube and open wells went down abnormally. Low-lying areas on both sides which
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