Ganga erosion: Trinamool calls for fund allocation by Union Ministry

Malda: A delegation from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), comprising leaders and workers from Malda and Murshidabad districts, staged a protest at the General Manager’s (GM) office of the Farakka Barrage Project (FBP) on Tuesday. The protestors presented a memorandum highlighting the severe erosion along the Ganga’s banks and called for immediate fund allocation by the Union Ministry. They have vowed to continue their protest indefinitely until a resolution is achieved. After six hours of demonstration, the protest was lifted around 5:30 pm following assurances from the GM that the issue would be addressed promptly.

The protest saw a significant turnout of TMC leaders and workers from various blocks in Malda and Murshidabad affected by the erosion of the River Ganga. Key figures included Sabina Yeasmin, Minister of State for Irrigation, Tajmul Hossain, Minister of State for Textiles, and Abdur Rahim Boxi, Malda district president of TMC. The leaders initiated a sit-in protest demanding action.

The erosion has critically impacted a 120-kilometer stretch of the Ganga, from Baishnabnagar in Malda to Manikchak Block, leading to the submersion of several villages, particularly in the Manikchak and Kaliachak-III blocks. Although the Farakka Barrage authorities began addressing the issue over a decade ago, their efforts were discontinued several years later. Temporary measures by the state Irrigation department have proven largely ineffective.

Minister Sabina Yeasmin criticised both the Central government and the Farakka Barrage authorities for halting anti-erosion work during the pandemic, stating: “This has left Malda and Murshidabad in a precarious situation.”

Abdur Rahim Boxi condemned the central government’s apparent indifference, asserting: “The erosion has been altering Malda’s geography for decades, submerging entire villages. We demand immediate action and allocation of funds from the Union Ministry to protect the affected communities.” Despite claims by the Farakka Barrage authorities that they have addressed erosion along 19 kilometers in Murshidabad, the protesters are calling for comprehensive action across the entire 120-kilometer stretch. The TMC maintains that their demands must be met to resolve the ongoing crisis.