Malda: Residents of Kantotola in the Ratua 1 Block of Malda are spending sleepless nights.
Many have already left the village in search of safer land. A high school along with the entire village of Kantotola is on the verge of disappearing owing to erosion of the banks of River Ganga in Ratua 1 Block that has taken a fearful shape in the last three days.
The water is barely 200 metres away from the Kataha Diara High School which has almost 2700 students.
One after the other, houses are just being devoured by the turbulent waters, as the water level is on the rise, eroding the banks.
A Trinamool delegation visited the affected area. During an administrative meeting on May 4, 2023, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee allocated Rs 50 crore for combating erosion. Later on May 17, officials from Bihar, Jharkhand and Bengal visited the Ganga at Manikchakghat to take stock of the situation to prepare a consolidated plan to stop erosion.
Palash Mukherjee, teacher in charge of the school said: “This is a government-affiliated school for over 70 years. If the school goes underwater, the future of thousands of students will be at stake.”
As many as 10 houses have already been submerged in Kanttola owing to the severe breach of River Ganga since Tuesday.
In addition, several bighas of land and mango orchards have already gone underwater. The breaching of River Ganga in the Kantotola area of Mahananda Tola Gram Panchayat of Ratua started late at night on Tuesday.
Since Wednesday morning, at least 50 families have vacated their homes and taken shelter elsewhere.
Local MLA Samar Mukherjee went to Kanttola area to monitor the breach.
“The villagers told me about their problems and expressed anxiety over the situation. The problem started after the Farakka Barrage authorities stopped the anti-erosion work. But the state government is continuing the work. The BJP MP has won from this constituency with false promises of addressing this grave issue,” the MLA said.
BJP’s North Malda MP Khagen Murmu said: “The work should be done in the dry season and not when erosion is on. Erosion can never be prevented with sandbags.”
A local resident said: “This is an annual problem. Houses are being destroyed. Agricultural land is being swallowed. Public representatives and officials are coming, watching and leaving. How long will this continue? There is a tussle with the Center. Sandwiched in between hundreds of families, like ours, are suffering. The matter should be resolved permanently.”