Ganga flows 0.15 m above danger level, causes flood-like situation

Malda: Ganga River flowing 0.15 metres above the danger level has caused a flood-like situation in areas of Manikchak and Ratua I blocks in the last 48 hours. Samar Mukherjee, MLA Ratua, accompanied by the chief engineer of the Irrigation department visited the affected areas and SDO Chanchal to take stock of the situation. Flood centres have been opened for over a hundred affected families.

Manikchak Gopalpur Gram Panchayat (GP) has been affected the most with around a thousand families in the grip of the swelling river. On Sunday noon, Ganga was flowing at 24.84 metres with 25.30 m being the extreme danger level.

Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate Malda, held a meeting with all the line departments and political representatives on Sunday to arrange for relief materials. Relief and rescue measures, including boats, have been hired by the administration for connectivity and rescue. Dry food and animal fodder have been procured, tarpaulins distributed, anti-venom injections have been stocked, flood shelters have been set up in schools with gruel kitchen and drinking water facilities.

“Losses of land or crops will be assessed. Six officers from the district have been deployed in Manikchak for managing the situation,” added the DM.

Souvik Mukherjee, SDO Chanchal, said: “Kantotola is much affected and a wide part of Srikantotola is also inundated. We have started the assessment of loss and will take all the necessary steps.

The Irrigation department has started work to protect and prevent further loss.” Due to inundation, North Hukumattola Primary School in Gopalpur GP was closed down with classes to be held at Gopalpur High School in the morning shift from Monday.

The river water has also entered the villages of South Hukumattola, Kamaltipur and Eashwartola. The locals say that the erosion along the banks of the river continued for over a month and with the rising water level, the villages are inundated.

Anup Chakraborty, BDO Manikchak, said: “We are keeping a close watch on the situation. Some flood centres have been set up for the distressed. Relief materials are being given.”

Adding to this, water from Koshi River entered the Bhutni island in Manikchak Block. The district administration has started the construction of a ring embankment to save the island by depositing sand bags. The locals say that water from Fulhar joined with the Koshi almost a month ago which damaged a one-kilometre stretch of embankment in Bhutni.

Pankaj Tamang, SDO Sadar, said: “Koshi has swelled with rains in Bihar. Some places on the highlands have been identified to shift the affected immediately if the situation demands.”