Brief reporting on Sonai River/Khal in ... - India Water Portal

<strong>Brief</strong> <strong>reporting</strong> on Sonai River/Khal in Barrackpore Sub-Division of North 24-Parganas District, West
Bengal
1 Originated from : The river Sonai originated from Koirapur of Ichapur, North 24-
Parganas, which is connected with river Ganga Ref : Survey of
India records and Map No. 79 B/5 (with the Central heading
“Chandannagar” surveyed in 1918 – 1919, 1920 – 1921
published in 1922 and 1933.
The River Sonai is a tributary of the river Ganga, which passes
through half length of Barrackpore Sub-Division from west to
east. The river has lost its rejuvenating capacity.
It is worthwhile to mention here that a topographical map of
Panihati Municipality (Drawing No. 999/PM/0024) prepared in
1976, as mentioned by CMDA, shows a series of water bodies
numbering fifty six (56) in all (all situated in Ward Nos. 27, 28,
19, 18, 16 and 17) between Ghola Bazar and Khardah Canal
along the now extinct course of Rivger Sonai. Again, a land use
map prepared by CMDA in 1991 bearing No. 307/PLU-
1991/III/PNH-3 for Panihati Municipality shows the same series
of water bodies numbering forty five (45) (along the line as
shown in the above topographical map). That is in all eleven
(11) water bodies have disappeared altogether within a span of
fifteen (15) years. Without tacit consent on the part of the
Municipal authority it could not have happened.
Unauthorized reclamation of land by dumping fly ash and other
garbage into the water bodies in the above “series” is just one
in the long list of similar onslaughts, and the motive behind it is
the same – real estate interest. The agency which is supposed
to act as a watchdog to prevent the ecofatal efforts by the land
sharks, itself becomes a party to the said unlawful activities,
concerned citizens have no other alternative but to approach
for legal redress and accordingly petitioned before the
Environment Bench of Calcutta High Court in 1997.
2 Terminating : Bagjola Khal
3 Route : The following documents adequately prove that Sonai is a
peninsular river which passes through half length of the
Barrackpore Sub-Division i.e., from Ichapur to Bagjola Khal.
Sonai, one of the most significant rivers of North 24-Parganas,
after originating from Barti Bil in North 24-Parganas traverses
35 kms before it joins the Bagjola Khal which ultimately
terminates at river Bidhyadhari that joins the sea in Bay of
Bengal.

As per letter dated 22/05/1979 of Prodhan and Upa-Prodhan
of Mohanpur Gram Panchayet, P.O. Nona-Chandanpukur, P.S.
Titagarh, Dist. 24-Parganas addressed to MIC, Irrigation
Department - Sonai Khal originated from Barti Bil and
terminated at Bagjola Khal.
As per the enclosures of letter dt. 1st June 1979 vide No.
6727/1(V)CI of the Chief Engineer (I) of Irrigation &
Waterways Directorate, Government of West Bengal, Writers
Buildings, Calcutta – Sonai Khal started from Barti Bil and was
linked to Ichapur Khal, which is connected with river
Ganges. The Sonai Khal is extended over the protected area of
the Jaffarpur Rifle Range in Mouja Telini Para.
4 Length : 35 KM (approximately)
5 Evidences which can
be cited
6 Physical
evidences/present
position
7 Government
declaration /
documents which
unequivocally
substantiate/support
the existence of
Sonai River
: Survey of India Map No. 79 B/5 as stated above.
Drawing of Irrigation Department
Drawing prepared by Panihati Municipality vide no.
999/PM/0024 as referred above.
:
These documents broadly substantiate/support our claim on
the existence of River Sonai
a) Physical existence still at sight at Panihati Municipal
area, Mouza Natagarh, Ghola and Pansila
b) In some places there is a string of water bodies and
some where it is totally vanished/reclaimed.
: a) Titagarh - Barrackpore area – Work Order No. 287 dt.
20/01/1984 for excavation of Sonai Khal was issued by
Executive Engineer, Urban Drainage Division of Irrigation
Department which is available with us. This document was
submitted to High Court in 2000 and the Hon’ble Chief
Justice of Calcutta High Court took cognizance of the same.
b) Letter No. 31012/1/85-Fy(3) dt. 02/01/1989 of the
Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi
c) Letter No. DO/14/P/CMA of Dr. Dhrubajyoti Ghosh
(recipient of United Nation Development Programme
prize for environment and presently (2003) working as
the Chief Environment Officer, Department of
Environment, Government of West Bengal).
d) Vice Chairman of Panihati Municipality issued Direction
to one Dr. Baldeb Goswami of Prasanna Chatterjee
Road, Ghola on 17th March 1994 vide No.PH/I/962(C)
for removal of encroachment on Sonai River.
e) The Chief Environment Officer of Department of

8 Serious efforts of
local people for
stopping illegal filling
of River
Observation of
District Judge
regarding existence
of Sonai Khal / River
Environment issued letter to the Secretary of CMDA on
4th August 2000 stating:
“River Sonai in fact used to feed Bagjola Canal which needs to
be drained so much.”
: Letter sent to the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court alleging
illegal filling of River at Panihati Municipal area which was
treated at Writ Petition in 1997 vide High Court reference
No. W. P. 31112 (W)/1997. The application was disposed of
with a direction to the Panihati Municipal authority to oversee
the issue.
The order dated 09/01/1998 of Justice U.C. Banerjee and
Justice Ronojit Kumar Mitra of Hon’ble Green Bench directed
“The Municipality is directed to take appropriate steps in
accordance with law to maintain the environmental equilibrium
in the area in question, upon intimation to the Pollution Control
Board”.
In the same order the Hon’ble Bench also added
“The Chairman, Panihati Municipality, who is present in Court,
is directed to ensure, however, that the existing water body
should not be disturbed in any way whatsoever”.
This order has never been complied with and the local people
were further compelled to send letters to the Hon’ble Green
Bench and matter was again taken up by High Court in 2001.
There was a strong people’s movement in Barrackpore-
Titagarh area for recovery/resuscitation of River Sonai led by Sri
Khokan Ganguly and Sri Ganapati Sarkar during
______________.
Khokan Ganguly, residing at Barrackpore – Ph. No. 25600221 /
25400857
Janapati Sarkar residing at Ruia, P.O. Patulia – Ph. No. 2561 -
1821
It is worthwhile to mention here that Hon’ble District Judge had
submitted a report on 17/08/2001 before the Hon’ble High
Court after being asked by the Court to ascertain the existence
of Sonai Khal/River in terms of Court’s direction under W.P.
No.31112(W) /1997 dt.16/02/2001.
The Hon’ble District Judge in his report submitted to the
Hon’ble High Court confirmed the existence of Sonai Khal/River
which reads as follows :

“In terms of my earlier references of documents it can also be
said that while C.S. and R.S. maps are silent in respect of the
existing of Sonai River/Khal, yet report of Major General,
Director Eastern Circle, Survey of India dated 27/06/2001
(Annexure B/3) Work Order of Irrigation Department under the
Government of West Bengal L.A. Cases for the acquisition of
land for the purpose of excavation of Sonai Khal/River
(Annexure E-Series) that there was also existence of Sonai Khal
/River in the Natagarh Mouza under P.S. Khardah”.
We are eagerly waiting to see whether the court’s firmness in
this case can make any difference to Sonai’s proposed
resuscitation and ecological health.
9 Offending parties : Both Government bodies and private individuals.
It needs to be said here that authorities of Panihati Municipality
is a prime offender which has mutated and sanctioned building
plan on the water bodies of River Sonai. It has not even
complied with the specific Order of Environment Bench of
Calcutta High Court.
10 Construction of
bridge over River
Sonai in 2003.
It need to be said here that cluster of houses standing on the
very bed of River Sonai in Kalyannagar have been built even
after the Green Bench Orders in 1997 and 1998. Despite High
Court Orders banning such activities Panihati Municipality has
mutated land reclaimed on Sonai and sanctioned building plan
illegally.
: In a recent decision the Panihati Municipal authority has
sanctioned Rs.8.00 Lakhs for constructing a bridge over River
Sonai at Kalyannagar – Bodhikanan area, Mouza Natagarh
keeping clearance for flow of water. Construction of the bridge
started in April/May 2003.
Surprisingly water bodies of River Sonai at Ghola Natun Bazar,
Bistubhadrer Mor, Natagarh and Panchanantala area – all
under Panihati Municipality are being filled up continuously by
municipal garbage and all sorts of waste materials for the last
few years despite public protests/agitation and written
submission to the authorities concerned. Such mindless and
unethical destruction of river is being allowed to continue year
after year. It may be noted here that there is a permanent
injunction imposed by the Hon’ble High Court restricting /
restraining all types of development work on the River and also
by the side of River.
Sonai – initially as a flowing river and later, as a string of water
bodies – was a critical component of Sodepur’s natural
drainage and rainwater run-off system, the town now
faces severe water-logging with every mild shower.

11 SUSTAINING
CALCUTTA
PRESENT STATUS
REPORT OF THE
URBAN PEOPLES
ENVIRONMENT
E I P WORKING
REPORT 5
Environmental
Improvement
Programme for
Calcutta
A CMDA FACILITY
CALCUTTA
METROPOLITAN
WATER AND
SANITATION
AUTHORITY
12 Benefit for
excavation /
restoration of River
Sonai
:
It may be mentioned here that the revival of River Sonai is
essential to facilitate blocked drainage system of the area and
to increase the availability of surface water to combat arsenic
problem in drinking water because major part of the river falls
under the jurisdiction of Barrackpore-II Block which is arsenic
prone zone as mentioned in relevant Map of the Gazette of
Public Health Engineering Department, Govt. of W.B., vide Sl.
No. 51.
15.3 WETLAND FORMATION AND DISTRIBUTION
The Calcutta Metropolitan Area in the lower Gangetic plain is
more or less flat. The principal drainage line in the river
Hugli. The river enters the Calcutta Metropolitan Area at
Tribeni and leaves the region at Uluberia. At Tribeni, the river
Sartaswati branches off to the west and the Jamuna to the
east. The entire Calcutta Metropolitan Area is traversed by
innumerable offshoots of the river Hugli. The north eastern part
of the area comprises meander belts of the river forming large
arcuate waterbodies like the Mathura, the Kulia, the Maricha
and the Baisar bils. The drainage lines in the area are highly
sluggish. Among the present day channels, the Hugli, the
Jamuna and the Sunti are the more important ones. Some of
the palaeo-channels can be traced in the region by their highly
aggraded beds. They include the Adi Ganga, the Gouri Ganga,
the Kana Damodar, the Sonai Nadi and the Bidyadhari
river. Land is naturally higher along both the banks of the
existing palaeo-channels. Away from the levees land slopes
down till it reaches another river and rises. The
:
interdistributary marshes are numerous. The wetlands here
have been formed by natural and anthropogenic causes and are
scattered all over the region. There are numerous small tanks
of the size of less than 5000 sq. metres on one hand and large
wetlands of more than 16,000 ha. on the other. Generally
depths of the wetlands are never more than 3 metres and most
are much shallower. Fluvial action has been the chief cause of
creation of the natural wetlands in this region. Man made
water bodies found in the region are either for water supply or
are borrow pits found along the highways, railways and in brickfields.
Small tanks less than 5000 sq. metres in area are mostly
dug by man and they can be identified on a map by their
comparatively regular boundaries.
Sonai once restored to life may be a significant source of
income and livelihood for a vast number of fishermen, a useful
sewage and detoxification of polluted water, a vital player in
ground water recharge and discharge, in maintaining open
space, and generating oxygen and recreation facilities and also
in developing ferry service and in fulfilling irrigation needs.

13 Environmental Laws
& the people *
Shri P Lakshmana
Reddy
District & Sessions
Judge,
Visakihapatnam
*Edited version of
the Valedictory
Address at the 30th
Public Hearing on
Environment and
Development held in
Visakhapatnam on
26 October 1996 by
the People’s
Commission on
Environment and
Development India
and the Voluntary
Association for
Sustainable
Environment
14 The Water
(Prevention And
Control of Pollution)
Act, 1974
Section 24
Prohibition on use of
stream or well for
disposal of polluting
matter, etc.
Relevant to our
allegation
On 10 April 1996, the High Court of Andhra Pradesh delivered
judgement in Writ Petition No. 2975 of 1987 filede as Public
Interest Litigation in respect of the pollution of Hussainsagar
Lake in Hyderabad [reported in AIR 1996(3) An. W.R. 253]. His
Lordship Justice D. H. Nasir, after elaborate discussion,
disposed it off giving various directions to the Andhra Pradesh
Pollution Control Board, the Sewerage Board and the
Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, prescribing time limit for
necessary steps to prevent pollution of waters of Hussainsagar
Lake.
In several cases, the Supreme Court went to the rescue of the
persons affected by the pollution and awarded them sufficient
compensation. Recently, the ryots, whose lands were affected
by the pollution of nakka vagu (canal) water due to discharge of
industrial effluent by the industries in Patancheru Industrial
Development Area near Hyderabad, were awarded
:
compensation to the tune of Rs. 1.39 crores (Rs. 13.9
million). As the State Government failed to control water
pollution, the Supreme Court directed it to deposit the amount
in the first instance and then to recover it from the
industrialists responsible for the pollution. Thus the Supreme
Court forced the State Government and its administrative
executive to act in accordance with the provisions of the
pollution laws.
24. (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, –
(a) no person shall knowingly cause or permit any
poisonous, noxious or polluting matter determined in
accordance with such standards as may be laid down by the
State Board to enter (whether directly or indirectly) into any
stream or well or sewer or on land; or
(b) no person shall knowingly cause or permit to enter into
any stream any other matter which may tend, either directly or
in combination with similar matters, to impede the proper flow
of the water of the stream in a manner leading or likely to lead
to a substantial aggravation of pollution due to other causes or
of its consequences.
(2) A person shall not be guilty of an offence under subsection
(1), by reason only of having done or caused to be done
any of the following acts, namely:-
(a) constructing, improving or maintaining in or across or on
the bank or bed of any stream any building, bridge, weir, dam,
sluice, dock, pier, drain or sewer or other permanent works
which has a right to construct, improve or maintain;
(b) depositing any materials on the bank or in the bed of any

Law is born out of social, economic and political causes.
stream for the purpose of reclaiming land or for supporting,
repairing or protecting the bank or bed of such stream provided
such materials are not capable of polluting such stream;
(c) putting into any stream any sand or gravel or other
natural deposit which has flowed from or been deposited by
the current of such stream;
(d) causing or permitting, with the consent of the State
Board, the deposit accumulated in a well, pond or reservoir to
enter into any stream.
(3) The State Government may, after consultation with, or on
the recommendation of, the State Board, exempt by
notification in the official Gazette, any person from the
operation of sub-section (1) subject to such conditions, if any,
as may be specified in the notification and any condition so
specified may by a like notification and be altered, varied or
amended.
The stretch of water bodies popularly known to be portion of Sonai River can easily take a shape of clear
watercourse if bits of connecting roads, portion of buildings encroaching the course and garbage filled
areas are wished out with one’s imagination.
Destruction of River Sonai started long back when the destructors had no specific motivation. Then it
happened somewhat sporadically. There was no organized force of violators with connection in high
places including the local law enforcing authorities and no explicit purpose of money making.
In the recent years these destructions have been undertaken by a vicious band of violators of law, to be
specific, real estate developers who are carrying out real estate business on River Sonai and making
quick money. It may be mentioned here that continuous influx of refugees from Bangladesh and other
immigrants from Assam and Tripura have made the land price rocketing very high. To meet the
demand of land Sonai is chosen to be soft target by these evil real estate developers because Sonai has
nobody to look after her interest. She played the role of a water passing channel in the vast region of
Barrackpore Sub-Division. It is worth mentioning here that circumstantial evidences will prove that the
local Municipalities instead of protecting Sonai have themselves are hands in gloves with these
promoters. In this connection a press write-up of The Statesman dated 05/03/1994 is relevant.
In this connection we would like to cite an ancient Chinese Proverb
“Rivers are like the mouth of infants – the more you try to stop them the more they shout. And if you
apply force, they die.”
River beds are the genesis of our ancient civilization. The entire green planet is very much dependent
upon the wholesomeness of water. In our early religious rituals, water was worshipped as a God or

Goddess and different religious activities sharply indicated about the necessity of maintenance of
wholesomeness of water. Water courses have their own purifying system, but excess pollution load in
the rivers or in any water course may not find their way to purify water in natural course.
Water is regarded as man’s best friend in the physical environment. It serves him in many ways. As an
article of physiological necessity, it has a high place in the healthy maintenance of the body. It is
required for life processes, for the proper functioning of the organs. Much of the ill health in the
underdeveloped countries is largely due to lack of safe drinking water. There can be no stage of
positive community health and well-being without safe water supply.
Wetlands are the treasure house of biodiversity and provide an array of benefits to
mankind. Biodiversity, both floral and faunal, is very high in the wetlands. It is interesting to note that
wetlands exhibit more or less all taxonomic groups beginning from algae to angiosperms in its floral
diversity. Similar is the case with faunal diversity in wetlands. They are not only important for the
survival of the fishes, birds, turtles, crocodiles etc., but also are habitants of many insects during
reproductive phase of their life cycle.
West Bengal October 16 2001
To define wetland, it is relevant to quote 1990 International Union For Conservation of Nature and
Natural Resources which reads –
“Over fifty separate definitions of wetlands are currently in use with broadest, provided by the RAMSAR
CONVENTION, defining Wetlands as :
Area of marsh, fen, pitland whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is
static or flowing, fresh, brakish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide
does not exceed six metres.” The convention on wetlands is an inter-governmental treaty which is
known as RAMSAR CONVENTION established in 1971 and provides the framework of International
Cooperation for the convention of wetlands.
Wetlands perform certain functions, essential for supporting animal and plant life, and maintaining
quality of environment.
Functions : 1. Flood Control
2. Ground water recharge and discharge
3. Shoreline stabilization
4. Sediment, nutrient, toxicant retention
Generate product : Wildlife, fisheries and forest resources
Ecosystem attributes : Biological diversity and culture heritage.
Whether a wetland performs certain functions, yields specific products or possesses certain attributes is
determined by the interactions and the biological, chemical and physical characteristics of the site. All
characteristics may or may not be present in each wetland. There has been increasing awareness of the
serious consequences of wetland transformation and the resulting losses not only for wildlife but also
for the wellbeing for the human communities.

West Bengal October 16 2001
Sonai which was a flowing “stream” almost a century ago, is now waiting to breathe her last as during
decades she had none to look after and save her from human lust for land. In the absence of adequate
constitutional safeguard together with the presently existing clumsey and weak law framework and
consequent breakdown of traditional biophilia among people, a destructive property right evolved
gradually on Sonai turning her into a stretches of ponds with intermittent blockades of construction,
brick-fiends, roads and playgrounds. The land records of the plots which defines the bed of Sonai
reveals private and common users’ right of ownership land being recorded. These records of right are
not very old. Historically it is well known the property right regime on wetland and rivers in India and
West Bengal changed from private a common property management of these resources to direct
government ownership and/or control. In the case of Sonai, historical indifference up to this point of
time kept her fate sealed even though the eco-necessity of her restoration is growing day-by-day due
to growing urbanization of the locality through which Sonai flow. It will be not our of place to note that
in the State of West Bengal, the land-cadastre is extremely faulty, unreliable and corrupt and no state
government had even undertaken the task of making it proper, objective and scientific. Faulty and
corrupt records of rights is a hindrance to restoration of Sonai and to the preservation and maintenance
of WB rivers and wetlands in general. From the point of view of Constitution, private property rights is
no longer deemed as sacred as it was before the 44 th Amendment of the Constitution. Article 300A of
the Constitution declares the authority of law and personal property right. Sonai once restored to life
may be a significant source of income and livelihood for a vast number of fishermen, a useful sewage
and detoxification of polluted water, a vital player in ground water recharge and discharge, in
maintaining open space, and generating oxygen and recreation facilities and also in developing ferry
service and in fulfilling irrigation needs. The corresponding laws in all these matters provide ample and
strong ground for abolishing and/or restricting adverse landed property right on Sonai. Moreover the
conversion of possession rights into ownership rights, which actually happened in case of Sonai needs to
be scrutinized and waived at all costs in the greater public and regional development interests. Thus
whether Sonai officially exists or not is a dubious question and reflect an overall apathy to environment
and concerned matter on the part of those who raise it. The various documents and profiles that have
been enlisted below proves in letter and in spirit the actual existence of Sonai and the need to waking
up her to a dancing life. We need to dream a little.
Whether Sonai officially exists or not is a dubious question and reflect an overall apathy to environment
and concerned matter on the part of those who raise it.
Environment includes everything that surrounds us, the air that we breathe, the water we drink, the
hills, the seas and even all manmade objects.
01 Published in
West Bengal
December 2002
Article titled “City
holds
international
conference on
sustainable
environmental
sanitation and
: While right to water as a basic human need has now been accepted as
a human right, the fulfillment of the same for all the people,
particularly those in the developing countries, is yet to be achieved to
the fullest extent.

water service
02 Documents
available with
persons
Book titled - SUSTAINING CALCUTTA
: Presently some documents are still lying with Dipak Roy, though he
says he has given all documents. We have handed over all major
documents to Tapash Bhattacharyya, Advocate of Calcutta High Court
with an intention that he will take up the matter in right earnest. At
the initiative of Kisanda we have also handed over two vital books
documents to Adv. Dutta residing at Purba Pally of Sodepur.
PRESENT STATUS REPORT OF THE URBAN PEOPLE’S ENVIRONMENT
E I P WORKING REPORT 5
Environmental Improvement Programme for Calcutta
A CMDA FACILITY
CALCUTTA METROPOLITAN WATER AND SANITATION AUTHORITY
Environmental Improvement Programme (EIP) is a specific facility of Calcutta Metropolitan
Development Authority. This programme is aimed at integrating environmental concern in urban
planning and development activities which will lead to a sustainable urban growth.
Chief Executive Officer, CMDA

FOREWORD
…………………………………
…………………………………
The present report is based on an ordered assimilation of available information and will serve as the
foundation for developing the strategy for urban environmental improvement and restoration of
Calcutta’s environment and also for safeguarding the city from future problems of ecological
imbalance. By completing this phenomenal work Dr. Dhrubajyoti Ghosh, Co-ordinator, Environmental
Improvement Programme and his team, have done a commendable job and deserve appreciation.
I hope this humble effort will be of some assistance to the people of Calcutta, the ultimate decision
makers for shaping their future environment.
15.3 WETLAND FORMATION AND DISTRIBUTION
Asok Bhattacharya, Minister-in-Charge, Department of
Urban Development, Government of West
Bengal – 5 June 1996
The Calcutta Metropolitan Area in the lower Gangetic plain is more or less flat. The principal drainage
line in the river Hugli. The river enters the Calcutta Metropolitan Area at Tribeni and leaves the region
at Uluberia. At Tribeni, the river Saraswati branches off to the west and the Jamuna to the east. The
entire Calcutta Metropolitan Area is traversed by innumerable offshoots of the river Hugli. The north
eastern part of the area comprises meander belts of the river forming large arcuate waterbodies like the
Mathura, the Kulia, the Maricha and the Baisar bils. The drainage lines in the area are highly
sluggish. Among the present day channels, the Hugli, the Jamuna and the Sunti are the more important
ones. Some of the palaeo-channels can be traced in the region by their highly aggraded beds. They
include the Adi Ganga, the Gouri Ganga, the Kana Damodar, the Sonai Nadi and the Bidyadhari
river. Land is naturally higher along both the banks of the existing palaeo-channels. Away from the
levees land slopes down till it reaches another river and rises. The interdistributary marshes are
numerous. The wetlands here have been formed by natural and anthropogenic causes and are
scattered all over the region. There are numerous small tanks of the size of less than 5000 sq. metres on
one hand and large wetlands of more than 16,000 ha. on the other. Generally depths of the wetlands
are never more than 3 metres and most are much shallower. Fluvial action has been the chief cause of
creation of the natural wetlands in this region. Man made water bodies found in the region are either
for water supply or are borrow pits found along the highways, railways and in brick-fields. Small tanks
less than 5000 sq. metres in area are mostly dug by man and they can be identified on a map by their
comparatively regular boundaries. (from Page No. 164 – 165)

MOUZA-WISE ROUTE OF SONAI KHAL
SL. NAME OF MOUZA J.L. POLICE STN.
NO.
NO.
1 TABAHERIA 74 AMDANGA
2 SAHAPUR 73 AMDANGA
3 TELENIPARA 10 TITAGARH
4 MOHANPUR 8 TITAGARH
5 BARO KHATALIA 7 TITAGARH
6 RUIYA 20 KHARDAH
7 PATULIA 4 KHARDAH
8 BANDIPUR 17 KHARDAH
9 NATAGARH 15 KHARDAH
10 GHOLA 14 KHARDAH
11 PATNA 1 DUM DUM
12 UTTAR NIMTA 2 DUM DUM
13 DAKSHIN NIMTA 8 DUM DUM
14 SULTANPUR 10 DUM DUM
15 GARUI 16 DUM DUM
16 DIGLA 18 DUM DUM
17 BAGJOLA 21 DUM DUM
THIS INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM SDL & LRO OFFICE, BARRACKPORE ON 28/09/2006 BY KISANDA
AND SELF

Discussion held between Dr. U. N. Biswas, Additional Director, CBI and M/s. Sunil Ranjan Chakrabarty,
Dipak Kumar Roy, Alok Das and Ujjal Majumdar to find out / substantiate the existence of River Sonai
and its course at C. G. O. Complex, Nizam Palace, Calcutta on 20 th September 2000 where the
following points arrived after reviewing the Survey of India Topo Sheet No. 79 B/5 and Irrigation
Department’s Map No. UD-1/87.
1. Sonai is seen at Tabaheria on the left of Sahapur and it is down from Nalkuri Bil and crosses
Barrackpore Barasat Road. There is a thin line passing Jalsukha. Jalsukha is shown in the
present Topo Sheet (79 B/5).
2. Another flow is from Nalkuri Bil upto Ruiya (Ref. Topo Sheet No. 79 B/5). This stream crosses
Barrackpore Barasat Road near Choto Kathalia and flows down near Baro Kathalia upto Ruiya.
One Ichapur Khal is seen above Nalkuri Bil. At present Ichapur Khal is alive and there is clear
connection with Nalkuri Bil to Ichapur Khal.
Survey by physical and photography and take the Grid Positioning Reference.
Drawing No. UD-1/87 of Irrigation Department, Government of West Bengal shows Sonai from
Barti Bil upto Bagjola Khal via Matkhal.
GPS (from Ruiya to Barti Bil).