BALURGHAT: Large areas of Gangarampur and Tapan blocks in South Dinajpur were submerged after the Punarbhaba River embankment collapsed at Nandnpur Gram Panchayat in the early hours of Friday. The breach occurred near Yadabbati Jharatala in Nandnpur, leading to flooding in Amtalighat, Sutil, Basor, Surasuri, Gonahar and several adjoining villages.
The sudden inundation has devastated farmlands, leaving crops completely submerged. Farmers, already grappling with repeated losses, are now in deep despair. Following the incident, Gangarampur BDO Arpita Ghoshal, Irrigation department officials and police personnel rushed to the spot and assured immediate action to
control the situation.
Heavy rainfall in the past few days has swollen the Punarbhaba river, pushing its water level above the danger mark. Villagers, however, blamed the administration for the repeated breaches, alleging negligence in timely embankment repairs.
Local resident Milon Barman said the embankment gave way around 2 am, barely an hour after villagers had gone to bed. “The embankment has not been repaired properly since 2004. Every year, due to lack of soil reinforcement, it breaks, submerging vast areas like Sutal, Banglapara, Muktarampur and Kardaha. All our crops are gone,” he lamented.
Echoing the frustration, farmer Nepal Mondal said: “All our vegetables have been destroyed. We are living in constant fear. During the Left Front regime, embankments were maintained but in recent years no soil has been added. For the past four years, this has been happening repeatedly.”
Meanwhile, Sub-Divisional Officer of Gangarampur, Abhishek Shukla, stated that the administration is taking urgent steps. “The block administration has informed me about the breach. We will take prompt measures for repair so that villagers are not affected every year,” he assured.