Partha Bhowmick holds review meet, to be submit detailed report to CM

Jalpaiguri/ Cooch Behar: Bengal Irrigation minister Partha Bhowmick arrived in Jalpaiguri on Thursday to assess the flood situation following the Teesta disaster sparked by a flash flood and breach of a dam in Chungthang in North Sikkim coupled with incessant rains.

The minister convened a meeting at the Hawa Mahal of the Irrigation department in Gajoldoba with along with ministers Sabina Yeasmin, Bulu Chik Baraik, Ghulam Rabbani, and Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik along with the district and police administration.

The minister inquired about the possibility of constructing lock gates or spars in flood-affected areas along the Teesta River. He also directed that all pending work be completed.

Partha Bhowmick stated: “I have come to assess the situation as per the instructions of the Chief Minister. I will return and submit a detailed report to her. Today, we had an extensive discussion with the technical team at the office where we discussed future plans as well. The Teesta River overflowed in certain areas, causing water to inundate several regions and some spars were damaged by the water.

Therefore, we cannot provide an exact estimate of the losses until the water recedes. Crops have been damaged. We are devising plans to mitigate such disasters. All efforts will be made to ensure the safety of the people and places.”

After the hour and a half long meeting, the minister departed for the flood-affected areas of Basusuba in the Maynaguri block to engage with local residents and assess the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, North Bengal Development Council chairman Rabindranath Ghosh visited the flood-affected areas along the Teesta River in the Mekhliganj district of Cooch Behar on Thursday.

Rabindranath Ghosh inspected the relief camps alongside MLA Paresh Chandra Adhikari, assessing areas where the Teesta River’s water level had risen and the status of the relief camps.

The disaster in Sikkim on Wednesday resulted in flooding in the Teesta River, affecting the districts of Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Cooch Behar. According to administrative sources, the Mal, Kranti, Mainaguri and Jalpaiguri Sadar blocks of Jalpaiguri have sustained heavy damage from the Teesta waters.

A total of 3,388 flood victims from these four blocks were relocated to safe shelters by Wednesday evening. The district administration has ensured the provision of food and drinking water to all those rescued.

The Nij Taraf Gram Panchayat (GP) and Kuchli Bari GP in Mekhliganj block of Cooch Behar district were also affected. As per the Cooch Behar district administration, as many as 900 individuals from these two GPs were rescued and accommodated in five flood shelters until Wednesday evening.

However, they began returning to their homes on Thursday morning as the

water receded.