BALURGHAT: Continuous torrential rains over the past few days have triggered a sharp rise in the water level of the Atreyee canal, leading to sudden flooding and erosion of the banks in several parts of Balurghat town. The worst affected area is Ward No. 12’s Sadarghat, where residents found themselves in crisis after the sluice gates of the canal were opened late on Thursday.
The release of water, reportedly under pressure from residents of Geetanjali, a locality on the opposite bank that was already waterlogged, led to an abrupt and powerful surge toward the Sadarghat side. As a result, four families were forced to abandon their homes and take shelter in a nearby Trinamool Congress party office situated atop the embankment.
Locals described the incident as terrifying. The sudden gush of water caused severe erosion in the embankment, threatening the stability of several houses. Many residents spent a sleepless night fearing further collapse and damage.
The situation escalated when aggrieved residents of Sadarghat confronted locals from the Geetanjali side, accusing them of influencing the decision to open the sluice gates. A brief scuffle broke out between the two groups before the police and the Irrigation department officials intervened to bring the situation under control. Eyewitnesses said that had the water level continued to rise with chances of more houses getting submerged. Many residents are now demanding a permanent solution to the recurring threat of floods in low-lying areas near the canal.
The Atreyee canal, which flows through the heart of Balurghat, merges with the Atreyee River near the twin bridges. According to officials from the Municipality and the Irrigation department, the sluice gates are positioned close to this confluence and are periodically opened to regulate water flow. They confirmed that monitoring is underway and additional measures will be implemented to prevent further erosion or flooding.
Ashok Mitra, chairman of Balurghat Municipality, who visited the affected site already, said: “Due to continuous rainfall, the canal’s water level rose sharply and the sluice gates had to be opened to avoid overflow.
Unfortunately, this has caused erosion in the Sadarghat area, where some houses were built in erosion-prone zones. We’re ready to move affected families to flood shelters if needed. Erosion control work on the Geetanjali side had already begun and the Irrigation department has taken up measures.