KOLKATA, Feb 22 (TIWN): Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the "perpetual river erosion" along the Ganga-Padma river in the state's Malda and Nadia districts, and urged the prime minister to urgently look into the matter so that "flood management and restoration schemes can be carried out" at the earliest to prevent the loss of lives and livelihood in case of disasters.

In the three-page letter, the chief minister pointed out the adverse affects of soil erosion along the river banks, including "severe loss of public utilities, private properties and agricultural lands.

"The problem is continuing for over last two decades. Such erosion along the river bank has largely been caused by the siltation in the river bed and frequent shifting of river course consequent upon the construction of Farakka Barrage," Banerjee said in her letter.