Jalpaiguri: Severe flooding leaves Chamkadangi village devastated

Jalpaiguri: The situation in Chamkadangi village is dire, with half of the community submerged by the Teesta River, leaving over 100 families homeless. “Although efforts are made to prevent further erosion, we are struggling to contain the damage,” said Jalpaiguri Sadar Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Tamaojit Chakraborty during his visit to the affected area on Friday. Alongside him were Siliguri Municipal Corporation Mayor Gautam Dev, Rajganj Block Development Officer Prashant Barman, and other local representatives, who assessed the situation and engaged with residents.

This year, the Teesta has changed its course, shifting to the right during the monsoon, leading to significant erosion in Chamkadangi village, part of the Dabgram Phulbari-II Gram Panchayat. The situation escalated dramatically on Thursday, resulting in the collapse of homes and infrastructure. Over 550 individuals from 100 families have lost their homes, with reports indicating that 10 feet of village road disappeared into the river. During rescue operations on Thursday night, the situation was further complicated when elephants emerged from the nearby Mahananda Sanctuary. Forest staff from the Darjeeling Wildlife department intervened to manage the crisis. Following this, SDO Chakraborty consulted with the Wildlife Department to ensure continued forest personnel presence in Chamakadangi.

Chief Engineer of the North East Division of the Irrigation Department, Krishnendu Bhowmik, stated: “We are currently deploying stones in an effort to halt further erosion. However, the river’s flow is so intense that these measures are largely ineffective.

The only viable solution is to conduct dredging in the river’s current channel when water levels are lower. We plan to bring in river experts from Kolkata to guide this work.” SDO Chakraborty added, “As the Teesta continues to erode, those who still have homes are moving to higher ground. The administration is arranging to relocate residents to Salugara High School, 8 km away, as we explore permanent solutions for these families, with three potential relocation sites currently under consideration.”