Fresh erosion cuts off entire village as Sankosh River swells in East Folimari

Cooch Behar: Even before the onset of the monsoon, fresh riverbank erosion caused by the swelling Sankosh River has once again cut off East Folimari village from the rest of the Folimari Gram Panchayat, the Tufanganj–II Block and the district. Despite repeated pleas by villagers for a permanent dam to protect the area, no long-term solution has been implemented so far. The Sankosh River, fed by continuous rainfall in the hills of North Bengal, has reportedly eroded nearly 1.5 kilometres of land in the East Folimari area in the past few days. Local residents say this has worsened the already severe erosion problem that has persisted for years. Ashraful Alam Talukdar, a resident of East Folimari, said: “This problem has existed for a long time. Many houses and acres of farmland have already been lost to the river. Now, the few remaining homes in the village are under threat as the river continues to advance.”

Residents also allege that despite repeated complaints to the Gram Panchayat, Block Development Office (BDO) and the Irrigation department, no effective measures have been taken. The recent erosion has brought the only access road to the village dangerously close to being washed away. About 3,000 people live in East Folimari and the new erosion has left many families fearful of losing their homes and land. “The government has given us houses, but if we lose our land, where will we build them?” said Golapi Saha, another local resident. “Leaders come only during elections. If nothing is done now, the villagers have decided not to vote.” In response, Anita Roy, the head of Folimari Gram Panchayat, said: “We have informed the BDO and the irrigation office. We are hopeful that the situation will be addressed quickly before the monsoon sets in.”