Ganga embankment collapses in Bengal districts

Kolkata: A large segment of an embankment on the River Fulohar- a tributary of river Ganga - collapsed in the Malda district of West Bengal resulting in flash floods and displacement of 30,000 residents living around the area.

According to the locals, the embankment collapsed in the late hours of Saturday, creating flash floods and the cascading waters engulfed more than 15 villages, submerging thousands of houses in the Harishchandrapur block.

The affected residents of the villages accused the state government of turning a blind eye to the disaster. “Till now no one from the government has come to enquire about our well being.

“All our processions have been washed away by the river. We are homeless and hundreds of children and women are without food and drinking water for the last 24-hours,” said a resident.

“The water level in the river was rising abnormally in the last week. We had warned the district officials that a calamity was about to happen if immediate measures are not taken to strengthen the embankment, but no one bothered to take any action,” said resident Pabitro Pal.

However, the district administration claimed to have taken relief and rescue mission for the affected villages. “Engineers from the state Irrigation Department are working overnight and are making a temporary embankment,” said district magistrate of Malda, Kiran Kumar.

“Other officials are also engaged in rescue and relief operations.

“We have also urged both the state and federal governments to send a team of disaster management experts so as to speed up the rescue operations,” Kumar added.

The erosion problems in the districts of Malda and Murshidabad are now perceived as problems of national dimension and billions of rupees have been spent by both the union and state governments, but nothing much has happened. “Apart from these two districts, North Bengal is also severely affected by the erosion of Teesta and other rivers.

“Till now lot of money has been spent, but due to severe corruption, amongst contractors and politicians, not much work has happened.

“At least 100 people have lost their lives and thousands have lost their homes and belongings, but nothing has changed,” said an official.