Raiganj: In a decisive act of community resistance, residents of Ukilpara in Raiganj, North Dinajpur district, intervened on Tuesday night to halt the unauthorised filling of a century-old local pond. The pond, vital for rainwater collection and flood prevention, was reportedly being filled with earth by miscreants.
Alerted by the continuous movement of over ten earth-laden dumpers, locals confronted the operators, detained the drivers and organised a protest against the illegal activity. Tensions escalated, prompting the police to arrive swiftly and restore peace.
Kalyani Rajak, a local resident, expressed concern and said: “This pond is around a hundred years old. If it is filled up, our roads and houses will be submerged after any moderate rainfall. We demand that administrative officials take measures against this illegal pond filling. If no step is taken, we will have to launch a vigorous movement against it.”
Arindum Sarkar, vice-chairperson of the Board of Administrators of Raiganj Municipality, acknowledged the residents’ concerns and stated: “We had information that some miscreants were filling an old pond illegally leading to difficulties to locals.
The matter has been brought to the notice of administrative officials.”