Malda: Rural people of Harishchandrapur are living in constant fear of heavy erosion in the Fulhar River of Malda. Acres of land is being gobbled up by the river in North Bhakuria of the Harishchandrapur-II block.
Due to heavy rainfall in the mountains, the water level of Fulhar River has started to rise at an alarming rate.
In the Islampur Gram Panchayat area under the Harishchandrapur Police Station, the river has come closer to the human habitat owing to the erosion of the banks. The river is merely twenty meters away from the residential area. Several electric poles in the villages along the Fulhar are a few yards away from the river.
Residents of the affected areas have expressed fear that the electricity supply poles will be drowned by the swelling river resulting in the people of seven to eight villages of Islampur Gram Panchayat being plunged into darkness.
Mohammad Akash, a resident of the village, said: “There are almost 100 houses here. The speed at which the embankment is being destroyed owing to erosion is alarming. Many farming plots will be swallowed by the river. If the administration does not take action now, water will inundate the village.”
According to the administration, due to the erosion of the river, the water has come very close to several villages along the bank including Kauadol, Rashidpur, North Bhakuria, South Bhakuria, Mirpara, Tantipara in the Islampur region.
Seeing the situation, farmers of the area have begun to harvest jute grown in the riverbanks in the immature stage. Temporary mud houses are being dismantled. If the erosion continues several villages of Islampur area will be submerged.
Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate Malda, said: “The Irrigation Department has been ordered to start the work quickly. The matter related to electricity will also be looked into.”