For speedy relief distribution to over 5000 flood-affected people in the villages of Chaknagar and Salaidanga Gram Panchayat (GP) in Gazole, Malda, the district administration went from door-to-door with all the line departments for speedy disbursal of relief material and facilities, on Tuesday afternoon.
Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate, Malda along with the officials of Irrigation, Health, Public Health Engineering (PHE), Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, block administration and West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) visited the affected spots, spoke to the people and directed the concerned officials for immediate action. It has been dubbed “Duarey Traan” (relief at the doorstep.) The embankment of Kadubari area in Chaknagar GP had been breached on Monday morning owing to incessant rains which resulted in a spate in the Tangon River. Water entered the agricultural lands and destroyed crops.
Villages, including Chaknagar, Majhra, Shahzadpur and Alal were inundated. Some parts of Madnabati GP in Bamongola block were also flooded with water from Punarvaba River. The delegation took stock of the affected areas on boats.
The DM has ordered the repair of the embankment on an emergency basis by the Irrigation department. The WBSEDCL will restore electricity wherever possible while the block administration will arrange for generators for other places. With tubewells under water, the PHE department has been asked to distribute water pouches. Around 7100 hectares of agricultural land with crops has been inundated.
The departments are now making an estimate of the loss and endow the farmers with compensation under the Bangla Shasyo Bima.
Nitin Singhania said: “With the people’s representatives, I visited the affected areas with a huge team of various departments for problem redressal and assessment, on the spot. Clothes, medications, food and water were also distributed.”
Lipika Barman Ghosh, Sabhadhipati of Malda Zilla Parishad, Rafiqul Hossain, Sahasabhadhipati of MZP and other public representatives of the area were also present.