'Soil check of Ratan Babu jetty done'

KOLKATA: The Deputy Mayor and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) of Kashipur-Belgachia constituency Atin Ghosh visited the Ratan Babu Ghat to inspect the cracks on the walls of houses there and the broken road.

"We are unable to determine the cause leading to the situation. However, the vibrations caused from work on the new jetty remain the prime suspect," Ghosh said.

The authorities are yet to decipher the cause behind the tragedy. However, multiple reasons like the underground sewage pipe that opened to the water body and jetty works by the West Bengal Transport Corporation are being considered to have led to the incidents.

"Soil check for the jetty was done," Ghosh confirmed, adding, "We will be able to give further information after the meeting with the mayor-in-council. The engineers are trying to identify from which source is the pumping station water leaking."

The residents of these houses along with seven others were shifted to Cossipore Harisankar Banipeeth High School. They have been given temporary residence at the school.

According to Ghosh, once the school reopens, the affected families' accommodation will be transferred to the local community hall. The affected family members said that this was the first time that the soil had shifted in the area and cracks appeared on the wall. One of the residents whose house is on top of the underground sewage pipe opening showed broken walls and wide cracks in the house.

On June 14, cracks appeared on the walls of a couple of houses at the Ghat. The cracks widened with passing time and the local councillor Kartick Chandra Manna was alerted of the situation.

The investigation on the cracks began when on Friday the soil under a part of the road leading to Ratan Babu Ghat shifted causing panic amongst the people living in the vicinity.

The gap has been filled with sandbags and 4,000 to 8,000 litres of water to fill in the void and make the area stable.