BANKURA, 7 SEPT: The state Public Health Engineering department today entered into an agreement of sharing 50 per cent of river water with a private steel unit in drought-prone Bankura. The agreement was signed between the PHE and a private secondary steel unit in the presence of state PHE minister, Mr Subrata Mukherjee (see sns photo), at the Bankura Circuit House today. The bid has drawn criticism from a section of Left parties. The CPI-M has lashed out at the agreement alleging it would hit rural areas severely, causing severe inconvenience in drinking water supply as well as irrigation. The district CPI-M secretary, Mr Amio Patra, said: “A number of private steel units had earlier proposed to share river water from Gandheswari and Dwarkeswar in Bankura during the LF rule which we had turned down. At a time when the chief minister has shown her reluctance to share Teesta water with neighbouring Bangladesh, Mr Mukherjee’s department has come forward to share national property to facilitate a private company.” The PHE minister and senior officials today declared that a check-dam would be built on the Dwarkeswar in the Jorhira stretch in Chhatna block at a cost of Rs 9 crore. The dam would help storage of river water which would be utilised for drinking water and irrigation purposes in 138 villages in the neighbourhood. The PHE minister, Mr Mukherjee, said: “The private industry has agreed to bear 75 per cent of the construction cost of the dam to be built under the PPP model and the PHE will bear the rest.” The joint secretary, PHE department, Mr Amar Bhattacharya, signed the MOU on the state’s behalf and Mr Ankit Patni, MD of the private company, signed it on behalf of Ankit Metaliks Pvt Ltd. Mr Mukherjee said: “To help sort out drinking water and irrigation crisis in several areas in Bankura, we have prepared a master plan that would facilitate drawing water from the Damodar from Mejia point and will pass through Barjora. The Centre will fund the project and work will start after the Pujas. It is expected to be over in two years.” sns