Erosion victims fear losing voting rights after Ganga swallows homes
Malda: First, the Ganga took away their homes—now, the fear is that their very existence as citizens may be washed away too. Hundreds of residents from Panchanandapur and the erstwhile KB Jhaubona Gram Panchayat under Kaliachak-II block in Malda are in distress after discovering that their names are missing from the crucial 2002 electoral roll—the one being used as the base document for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
Between 1998 and 2000, massive erosion by the Ganga submerged entire villages, including KB Jhaubona, forcing residents to flee overnight and lose all land records and identity documents. “The Ganga swallowed everything—our land, our homes, even our papers,” recalled Khurshed Sheikh, a former resident of the area. “That’s why our names didn’t appear in the 2002 voter list. But we have voted in several elections before and after that.” Now resettled in nearby areas like Janutola and Kachalitala, around 1,500 displaced residents find themselves missing from the 2002 list. Many fear that without their names on this record, they might be left out of the upcoming voter verification process.
Local activist Islam Sheikh explained: “In 2002, the government officially abolished KB Jhaubona Gram Panchayat after it went under the river. Naturally, names from areas like Olitola and Jahirtola aren’t in that list. But these people are all genuine residents of Mothabari. The Election Commission should correct this anomaly.”
Minister of State for Irrigation and Waterways and Mothabari MLA Sabina Yeasmin acknowledged the problem: “We are aware of the issue. All of them are legitimate voters of the Mothabari area. I’ve spoken to district officials and the Election Commission. No eligible voter will be left out.”
Kaliachak-II Block Youth Trinamool Congress president Tohidur Rahman added, “Only the location and polling booths have changed. The Commission must ensure that every genuine resident remains on the rolls.” Meanwhile, Kaliachak-II BDO Kailash Prasad, newly appointed to the post, said: “I’ve just taken charge. If such an issue exists, we’ll try to resolve it quickly.”
A similar problem has surfaced in Dharampur Gram Panchayat of Manikchak block, where about 850 of 1,600 voters do not appear in the 2002 list, including four former Panchayat heads and even a current BLO. “It’s shocking,” said Monirul Islam of Dharampur. “If the administration doesn’t act, we’ll have no option but to protest.” District officials, however, assured that no genuine voter will be deprived. As one officer put it: “Names missing from 2002 can easily be re-entered based on valid records.”
Still, for the erosion-hit families who have already lost everything once to the river, the fear remains—this time, of losing their democratic identity.
